Social media companies dragged to court over deadly 'subway surfing' trend

Social media giants are finding themselves in the crosshairs of legal action, facing accusations that their platforms played a role in promoting the dangerous ‘subway surfing’ trend. 

This comes after the tragic death of a New York City teenager, Zackery Nazario, who lost his life while attempting the perilous stunt. His mother, Norma Nazario, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Meta and ByteDance, alleging that these platforms knowingly promoted and profited from the viral challenge, which ultimately led to her son’s death. The lawsuit also names the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), as reported by NBC News.

The core of the argument is that these platforms, through their algorithms and content promotion, actively encouraged young people to engage in extremely risky behavior for the sake of viral fame. Subway surfing, for those unfamiliar, involves riding on the outside of subway trains, a stunt that has proven to be incredibly dangerous and often fatal. The allure of likes, shares, and views on platforms like TikTok and Instagram can push individuals, especially impressionable teenagers, to undertake challenges with severe consequences.

Last year, the MTA even issued a warning, with hopes to dissuade people from jumping on board the trend:

But that’s not all. NYC Police are also using tech like drones to capture and apprehend subway surfers from popular spots. Apparently, most individuals caught are roughly around 15 years old, which is pretty concerning.

This isn’t the first time social media companies have faced scrutiny over dangerous trends. We’ve seen other alarming fads emerge, like the ‘Door Kicking’ challenge and ‘UrbanEx’ trend, which have also caused concern among authorities and parents. We’ve also covered previous trends like the “Deny, Defend, Depose” movement and the “Cute Winter Boots” trend that encouraged physical violence.

The legal battle against Meta and ByteDance is gaining traction. A New York City judge recently ruled that the wrongful death lawsuit filed by Norma Nazario can proceed, allowing her to try and prove that the social media giants “goaded” her son Zackery into subway surfing. This ruling is a significant development, as it opens the door for similar cases to be brought against social media companies.

The argument often made by social media companies is that they are merely platforms for user-generated content and are not responsible for the actions of their users. However, plaintiffs argue that the algorithms used by these platforms actively promote and amplify dangerous content, making them complicit in the harm caused. This legal challenge could force a re-evaluation of how social media companies design their algorithms and moderate content, especially when it comes to trends that put lives at risk.

This ongoing discussion about social media’s impact extends beyond dangerous trends. There are also growing concerns about the platforms’ effects on mental health, with some countries like Australia banning these platforms for teens, while others like the US are calling for mental health warning labels to be added.

There are even laws being put into place to prevent social media platforms from trapping users, especially minors, with addictive feeds. Meanwhile, recent research indicates that platforms are also pushing more right-leaning content to feeds, though whether or not it’s harmful is up for debate.

Featured image credit: Fan Railer / YouTube