Mother Sues Meta and TikTok After Son's 'Subway Surfing' Death
A lawsuit has been filed against Meta and ByteDance following the tragic death of 15-year-old Zackery Nazario. The boy's mother, Norma Nazario, alleges that the companies' social media platforms, Instagram and TikTok, encouraged her son to engage in dangerous activities, ultimately leading to his death while 'subway surfing'.
On February 20, 2023, Zackery Nazario climbed onto a moving train and fell between subway cars, resulting in his untimely death. His mother has since filed a lawsuit, Nazario v ByteDance Ltd et al, in the New York State Supreme Court, claiming wrongful death, product liability, and negligence. The case, No. 151540/2024, seeks to hold Meta and ByteDance accountable.
Norma Nazario argues that the companies' platforms 'goaded' her son into subway surfing by addicting him to their apps. Justice Paul Goetz has ruled that she can attempt to prove that Meta and ByteDance specifically targeted her son due to his age. Despite searches, no specific information was found about companies linked to multiple deaths from subway surfing as reported by the New York City Police.
Meta Platforms and TikTok owner ByteDance must now defend themselves against these serious allegations. The case will determine if the companies are responsible for the tragic consequences of their platforms' influence on young users like Zackery Nazario.
