‘Awful way to lose a child’: Dad who lost son to cyberbullying warns of social media use

PHOENIX (KPHO/Gray News) - Dozens of states are suing Meta, claiming the social media giant violated consumer protection and privacy laws.

The lawsuit claims it created features that would make social media addictive, including ‘likes,’ autoplay and infinite scrolling.

John Halligan said his son Ryan Halligan was just 13 years old when he took his own life.

“I lost my son Ryan to suicide on October 7, 2003. He was one of the early victims of cyberbullying,” he said.

For years, John Halligan has shared his son’s story. He’s helped pass anti-bullying legislation and spoken to students about social media.

“The technology has evolved to such a level that it’s even worse,” John Halligan said. “We were hoping for better solutions as time went on, and it turned out things have actually gotten worse because of just how easy it is for kids to sign up for this stuff and to have a private world from their parents.”

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes compared social media to the public health concerns created by tobacco companies a generation ago.

“In some ways, it’s worse than tobacco, because our kids are using these platforms all day long,” Mayes said. “It’s causing suicide. It’s causing body dysmorphia. It’s causing mental health crises among our kids.”

Katey McPherson, a youth mental health advocate and mom of four teenagers, agrees social media is damaging to kids, both mentally and physically.

“This is not good for children. Adults can barely handle it. So, this lawsuit I think is the first step in a great direction, but the boots on the ground are the parents and the kids trying to navigate this abyss of literally just yuck,” McPherson said.

McPherson added, “I really coach parents to look at what your kids are consuming. There are two buckets of screen time: digital vegetables and digital candy. The recommendation for social media, gaming, and all the fun stuff is no more than one hour per day.”

Meta reportedly has more than 30 tools on its platforms to support teens and their families, including reminders when it’s time to take a break from scrolling and quiet mode.

“We share the attorneys general’s commitment to providing teens with safe, positive experiences online. But we’re disappointed that instead of working productively with companies across the industry to create clear, age-appropriate standards for the many apps teens use, the attorneys general have chosen this path,” a Meta spokesperson shared in a statement.

According to a report by U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, 95% of 13 to 17-year-olds use social media, along with 40% of 8 to 12-year-olds.

John Halligan said he keeps working to help other families in trying to save them from the heartache he continues to deal with.

“My son Ryan was a wonderful, sweet sensitive empathetic boy,” he said. “It’s just an awful way to lose a child. I don’t wish this on anybody, not even my worst enemy, but it keeps happening, unfortunately.”

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