Building a strong claim comes down to connecting your child’s heavy use of the platform and the specific harm it caused.
You don’t necessarily need a perfect stack of evidence on day one. When you work with Atraxia Law, our intake team helps you identify and gather the essential documents. However, to give you an idea of what the courts are looking for, here are the most important types of evidence courts usually consider:
Proof of platform use
We will need to show that the child in your care was actively using the platforms and that their algorithms affected the child. Helpful evidence in this case includes:
- Screen time reports: Screenshots from their phone (e.g., Apple Screen Time or Android Digital Wellbeing) showing daily hours spent on social media apps
- Platform data archives: You have the right to request a "data download" directly from Meta, TikTok, or Snapchat. These reports show account creation dates, proving they bypassed age verification, search histories, and the exact type of content they’ve been fed by the algorithm.
Digital evidence
- Grab screenshots of any dangerous or harmful content that popped up on their feed
- Save any text messages sent to friends discussing their social media habits or online struggles
Medical documentation
This is critical for proving that the platform directly caused physical and mental harm. Make sure to gather:
- Official paperwork diagnosing anxiety, severe depression, or eating disorders
- Therapy or counseling notes that link their mental health issues back to social media
- ER discharge papers or hospital records tied to self-harm or mental breakdowns
- Doctor’s notes or pharmacy receipts for medications prescribed to manage these issues
Everyday life impact
You need to show the court exactly how these threw off your child’s normal routine. Try to pull together:
- Report cards that highlight a sudden drop in their grades, unexcused absences, or uncharacteristic trouble at school
- Personal journals or diaries where they mention cyberbullying, body image struggles, or the heavy stress of being online
Atraxia Law can help you file a social media addiction claim
You do not need to have all these documents perfectly organized before reaching out to us. Getting started is as simple as having a conversation. Our intake specialists will help you identify which pieces of evidence you already have, track down the records you are missing, and organize everything required by the multidistrict litigation courts. After your eligibility is confirmed we will refer you to an attorney who will file a social media addiction claim on your behalf.