A Timeline of Crisis
From the rise of smartphones to the legal reckoning—how we got here and where we're headed.
The Dawn of the Smartphone Era
The iPhone launches. Social media goes mobile. A generation's relationship with screens fundamentally changes.
iPhone Launches
Apple releases the first iPhone. The smartphone era begins, putting constant internet access in everyone's pocket.
TechnologyInstagram Launches
Photo-sharing app launches, pioneering the visual social media format that will come to dominate teen culture.
TechnologySnapchat Launches
Ephemeral messaging introduces "disappearing" content, creating new dynamics—and new risks—for teen communication.
TechnologyThe Inflection Point
Smartphone ownership among teens reaches critical mass. Mental health metrics begin their upward climb. The correlation begins.
ResearchRising Alarm
Teen depression, anxiety, and suicide rates climb. Researchers begin documenting the correlation. Early lawsuits emerge.
CJ Dawley Dies
17-year-old Christopher Dawley of Wisconsin dies by suicide, found with phone in hand. One of earliest documented social media-linked deaths.
DeathTikTok Predecessor Launches
Musical.ly gains massive teen following with short-form video format. ByteDance acquires it in 2017, rebranding as TikTok in 2018.
TechnologyJean Twenge Publishes "iGen"
Dr. Jean Twenge documents the dramatic shift in teen mental health coinciding with smartphone adoption. The academic alarm begins.
ResearchFTC Fines TikTok $5.7M
First major COPPA enforcement against TikTok (then Musical.ly) for collecting children's data without parental consent.
RegulatoryCharacter.AI Founded
Former Google AI researchers launch Character.AI, pioneering the AI companion chatbot category. It will become one of the most popular apps among teens.
TechnologyThe Reckoning Begins
COVID accelerates screen time. Whistleblowers expose internal research. The first major lawsuits are filed.
FTC Fines Meta $5 Billion
Largest FTC privacy penalty in history for violating 2012 consent order. Still insufficient to change behavior, critics say.
RegulatoryArriani Arroyo Dies
9-year-old Arriani of Milwaukee dies attempting TikTok's "Blackout Challenge." One of the first documented challenge deaths.
DeathSelena Rodriguez Dies
11-year-old Selena of Connecticut dies by suicide after two years of social media addiction. She created accounts at age 9.
DeathFrances Haugen Testifies
Facebook whistleblower reveals internal research showing Instagram harms teen mental health. "The Facebook Files" published by WSJ.
WhistleblowerNylah Anderson Dies
10-year-old Nylah of Pennsylvania found unresponsive after attempting Blackout Challenge. Her case will set legal precedent.
DeathGavin Guffey Dies
17-year-old South Carolina teen dies after Instagram sextortion. His father, a state legislator, will lead legislative reform.
DeathIreland Fines Instagram €405M
Largest GDPR fine for children's data exposure. First major international enforcement action.
RegulatoryFTC Fines Epic Games $520M
Largest FTC rule violation penalty ever for COPPA violations and dark patterns in Fortnite.
RegulatoryMass Litigation
School districts sue. State attorneys general coordinate. The MDL consolidates thousands of cases. AI companions enter the spotlight.
Seattle Schools Sue
Seattle Public Schools becomes first district to sue social media companies, claiming platforms "exploited vulnerable brains of youth."
Lawsuit42 State AGs Sue Meta
Largest coordinated state legal action against a tech company. Bipartisan coalition alleges Instagram designed to addict children.
LawsuitJuliana Peralta Dies
13-year-old Colorado girl dies after extensive Character.AI use. Chat logs will reveal "extreme and graphic sexual abuse" by AI bots.
DeathSewell Setzer Dies
14-year-old Florida boy dies by suicide after months of Character.AI use. His final conversation: "What if I told you I could come home right now?"
DeathDOJ/FTC Sue TikTok
Federal COPPA lawsuit alleges TikTok knowingly allowed millions of children to bypass age restrictions.
LawsuitThird Circuit Ruling: Anderson v. TikTok
Landmark ruling: TikTok's algorithm is "first-party speech" NOT protected by Section 230. Opens door for product liability claims.
Landmark RulingFTC Opens AI Companion Inquiry
Section 6(b) inquiry into OpenAI, Meta, Character Technologies, Snap, and others regarding AI chatbot impacts on children.
Regulatory14 State AGs Sue TikTok
Coordinated state lawsuits. Accidental Kentucky redaction error reveals internal documents: "260 videos = addiction."
LawsuitFirst AI Companion Wrongful Death Suit
Garcia v. Character Technologies filed in Florida, alleging AI chatbot caused Sewell Setzer's suicide.
LawsuitAustralia Passes Social Media Ban
World's first national ban on social media for users under 16. Penalties up to A$49.5M. Effective December 2025.
RegulatoryThe Present Moment
First trials approach. AI companies implement restrictions. The legal and regulatory framework takes shape.
Adam Raine Dies
16-year-old California boy dies after ChatGPT allegedly acted as "suicide coach." OpenAI faces first wrongful death lawsuit.
DeathMDL Bellwether Cases Selected
Judge Rogers selects 11 cases (6 school districts, 5 families) for first trials. Stakes: establishing precedent for 2,191 cases.
LawsuitGarcia Ruling: AI Speech Not Protected
Judge rejects Character.AI's First Amendment defense, ruling she's "not prepared" to hold AI output is protected speech.
Landmark RulingCharacter.AI Announces Under-18 Ban
Following lawsuits, Character.AI announces ban on open-ended chat for users under 18, effective November 25.
Industry ResponseInternal Meta Documents Unsealed
Court filings reveal "17x" sex trafficking policy, 1.4M daily inappropriate recommendations to teens, and halted internal research.
DiscoveryFirst Bellwether Trial Scheduled
First jury trial in MDL 3047 set to begin. Potential to establish precedent for thousands of pending cases.
TrialThe Road Ahead
First Jury Verdicts
Bellwether trials will establish whether social media companies can be held liable for youth mental health harms—potentially opening floodgates for additional litigation.
AI Companion Regulation
FTC inquiry results expected. EU AI Act enforcement begins February 2025. First AI-specific child safety regulations likely.
International Precedent
Australia's under-16 ban takes effect December 2025. Other nations watching closely. UK Online Safety Act enforcement begins.
School District Outcomes
800+ school districts await resolution. Potential for massive settlements or systemic reforms to platform design.
The Story Isn't Over
We're at an inflection point. The next year will determine whether platforms face accountability—or whether another generation of children is harmed.