A New York state judge says the mother of a Manhattan teen who died subway surfing can try to hold Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) and TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, legally responsible for fueling her son's fatal stunt addiction.
What Happened Justice Paul Goetz ruled Friday that Norma Nazario can pursue wrongful death, product liability and negligence claims against Meta and ByteDance, the owners of Instagram and TikTok, respectively, reported Reuters.
Her 15-year-old son, Zackery Nazario, died in February 2023 after a low beam struck him atop a Brooklyn-bound J train on the Williamsburg Bridge.
The Judge said that Nazario can try to prove that the social media giants "goaded" her son into subway surfing by addicting him to videos of dangerous challenges.
Meta and ByteDance called the death "heartbreaking," but claimed immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which typically shields platforms from liability for user content, the report said.
The judge disagreed, allowing the case to move forward.
Nazario's lawsuit also named New York City's Metropolitan Transit Authority, but the judge dismissed those claims, writing that "the realities of life in this city" should have signaled the risks of subway surfing.
Why It's Important: This case highlights mounting legal challenges for social media companies accused of addicting minors to harmful content.
At least six people have died subway surfing in New York City this year alone, according to police, the report said.
Subway surfing — also known as train surfing — involves climbing onto the roof or exterior of a moving train. The risky stunt mirrors the concept of the popular mobile game Subway Surfers, where players dash along train tops to gather coins and rewards.
Last year, at a court hearing in Oakland, California, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his attorneys pushed back against claims that he should be held personally responsible for a wave of lawsuits accusing Facebook and Instagram of fueling child addiction to social media.
Price Action: According to Benzinga Pro, Meta's stock slipped 0.012% in after-hours trading to $738.
Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings show that Meta's shares remain on an upward trajectory across short, medium and long-term periods. Additional performance details are available here.
Photo Courtesy: Koshiro K On Shutterstock.com
Read Next:
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
