Italian Family Sues Meta and TikTok over Daughter’s Death

The parents of 12-year-old Rossella from the northern Italian city of Asti have joined a collective lawsuit against Meta and TikTok after their daughter died by suicide.

They allege that social media platforms gradually exposed her to increasing amounts of content related to depression, self-harm and death. According to her mother, Rossella’s mental health deteriorated after she began searching for material reflecting how she felt, while the algorithms continued to recommend similar content.

Several Italian families have joined the legal action, demanding tighter limits on minors’ access to social media and greater awareness of the risks posed by the platforms.

Meta and TikTok have denied the allegations that their services harm young people. Both companies said they invest in safety measures, remove harmful content, limit exposure to risky material and provide families with tools to manage children’s accounts.

(reuters, mja)