Meta, the tech giant, is facing a $50 million lawsuit from a father who claims the company played a part in the alleged murder of his daughter, 17-year-old Emery Lynn Mizell. According to him, the teen’s killer—also a 15-year-old—harassed her for a month on Instagram, which is owned by Meta. The father, Tony Mizell, argues that Instagram was “actively concealing” the platform’s dangers.
The harassment reached a tragic peak on May 2, 2024, when Emery was allegedly stabbed while walking home from school in Soundview. Mizell’s court documents state, “This tragedy was completely preventable,” adding that the city’s Department of Children’s Services failed to intervene with the perpetrator.
This lawsuit, initially filed in March and recently moved to federal court in Manhattan, follows a California jury’s $6 million verdict against Meta over another case involving social media addiction.
Mizell alleges that Emery’s murder was directly linked to the cyberbullying campaign and points out that Instagram is designed in a way that can be addictive for teenagers. He mentions that the platform’s algorithm encourages harmful content and creates compulsive checking behavior.
“Meta failed to adequately warn users and parents about Instagram’s known dangers,” he claimed. The complaint notes that the suspect and victim had never met face-to-face but communicated solely through social media. Recently, Mizell marked the second anniversary of his daughter’s death with friends releasing balloons in her honor.
According to court filings, Meta has been aware of the issues surrounding bullying and harassment among its younger users for a long time. Mizell believes his daughter’s tragic passing was a “direct result” of Meta’s negligence and the lack of oversight by ACS (Administration for Children’s Services), which he claims failed to protect the public despite knowing about the suspect’s violent tendencies.
“This lawsuit is about accountability,” said attorney Sanford Rubenstein, who represents Mizell alongside Mark David Silian. “What this father wants is to prevent more tragedies.” Silian raised concerns about the oversight of children under ACS’s care, noting a significant lapse in monitoring.
Emery, the eldest of four siblings, was mere weeks away from graduating when she was killed. Her father shared that her younger sister now sleeps in the living room to remain close to her sister’s memorial, kept in their home. “My world was completely turned upside down,” Mizell expressed. “It’s a parent’s worst nightmare. I haven’t been able to sleep for the past two years.”
Meta contends that it implements strict policies against bullying and harassment, often removing such content. The company also stated it has recently tightened messaging settings for teens, only allowing messages from known contacts. Meanwhile, an ACS spokesperson mentioned that they are reviewing the case in conjunction with the Department of Justice.
