Ohio social media addiction lawsuit
Families in Ohio are holding Meta, TikTok, Snap and YouTube responsible for harm to their children, one case at a time. Here is who may qualify, how Ohio cases are filed, and the deadline that applies.
Quick answer
Ohio families can bring individual claims, not a class action, against Meta, TikTok, Snap and Google (YouTube) when a child was harmed after heavy use before 18. In Ohio, an injury claim generally must be filed within 2 years; for a child injured before adulthood, the clock pauses. The 2-year period starts on the 18th birthday, so the deadline is usually age 20. A free review checks your family’s deadline.
Who may qualify in Ohio
- The child lives or lived in Ohio and used Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat or YouTube regularly before 18
- The child developed depression, anxiety, an eating disorder, self-harm, sleep problems or another serious harm
- No diagnosis? 20 or more hours a week on one platform before 18 may support an exposure claim
- Families of a young person who died by suicide after heavy social media use
- An adult contacted the child through a platform and pressured, threatened or exploited them
Ohio filing deadlines
| Personal injury / product liability | 2 years | Injury and product-liability claims must be filed within 2 years of the injury. | Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.10(A) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Injured as a minor | — | For a child injured before adulthood, the clock pauses. The 2-year period starts on the 18th birthday, so the deadline is usually age 20. | Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.16 |
| Wrongful death | 2 years | A wrongful death claim must be filed within 2 years of the date of death. | Ohio Rev. Code § 2125.02(F)(1) |
| Product liability outer limit (repose) | — | Usually no product claim can be brought more than 10 years after the product was delivered to its first buyer. Exceptions include fraud by the company and a person who was a minor during that period, who gets 2 years after the disability ends. | Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.10(C); § 2125.02(F)(2) |
The statute's discovery rule covers only listed exposures (toxic chemicals, drugs, medical devices, asbestos and similar), not injuries in general. Courts decide whether a social media app counts as a 'product' for the 10-year limit. The age of majority (18) comes from R.C. 3109.01; that section was not fetched.
These are the general rules in the statutes. Courts apply exceptions, and which rule applies depends on the facts, so a lawyer should confirm your family’s deadline. This is general information, not legal advice.
How Ohio cases are filed
This is not a class action. A Ohio family’s claim is filed in the child’s name. Federal cases from every state are grouped in MDL No. 3047 in Northern California so evidence and pre-trial rulings are shared; about 3,800 were pending in October 2026. Some cases are filed in state court instead. The lawyers decide with your family where your case belongs.
What Ohio has done
This state's attorney general joined the joint lawsuit 33 states filed against Meta (Instagram and Facebook) in federal court in Northern California on October 24, 2023. The suit says Meta built features to hook kids and misled the public about the risks.
Lawsuits and laws by the state are separate from a family’s own claim. They do not file or replace a claim for your child.
Who handles your case
Grove and Associates PLC is a Michigan law firm with its only office in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Its responsible attorney, Justin Grove, is licensed in Michigan only and is not licensed in Ohio. Cases for Ohio families are handled together with co-counsel admitted in the court where the case is filed. You will know every lawyer involved, and how the fee is shared, before you sign anything.
Common questions from Ohio families
Is there a class action for Ohio families?
No. Each child’s claim is filed individually. Federal cases from every state, including Ohio, are grouped in MDL No. 3047 in Northern California so evidence and pre-trial rulings are shared, but each claim stays the family’s own.
What is the deadline to file in Ohio?
Injury and product-liability claims must be filed within 2 years of the injury. For a child injured before adulthood, the clock pauses. The 2-year period starts on the 18th birthday, so the deadline is usually age 20.
What if my child died?
A wrongful death claim must be filed within 2 years of the date of death.
Didn’t Ohio already sue Meta?
This state's attorney general joined the joint lawsuit 33 states filed against Meta (Instagram and Facebook) in federal court in Northern California on October 24, 2023. The suit says Meta built features to hook kids and misled the public about the risks. That case is brought by the state. It is separate from a family’s own claim for its child.
Do I need a Ohio lawyer?
Your family works with Grove and Associates PLC, a Michigan firm, and co-counsel admitted in the court where your case is filed. You will know every lawyer involved, and how the fee is shared, before you sign anything.
Does it cost anything?
No. The review is free and confidential. If you hire the firm, the lawyers are paid only from a recovery under a written contingency fee agreement.