Youth Focus Group Toolkit
Accepting feedback through July 31, 2026
Purpose: The focus groups are designed to gather youth feedback on Fund IRL’s Guidance on the Use of Funds from Social Media Lawsuits so potential social media settlement dollars are directed toward the real-life programs, spaces, and supports young people actually value and need.
Prep: Collect consent from youth and/or program leaders. Note that many programs have blanket release forms; please confirm the release will include partners, like Fund IRL. For any youth or program leaders providing direct feedback via the survey, ensure they have reviewed the following web page and consent to the collection and promotion of stories and feedback from the focus group.
**If helpful/appropriate, make a copy and use this slide deck (PPT download).
Fund IRL Authorization and Publicizing Consent Form
By submitting this survey, you acknowledge that you have read, understand, and agree to the terms of the consent form, including the collection and use of any stories, feedback, quotes, or other information you choose to share. Participation is voluntary.
Submission: Please share anything you capture as soon as possible using the dedicated Google Form – click the button below.
Questions? hello@fundirl.org
Recommended Focus Group Flow
OVERVIEW – 60 mins
**If helpful/appropriate, make a copy and use this slide deck (PPT download).
| TIME | ELEMENT |
| 5 mins | Background: Why we’re here
|
| 10 mins | Introductions |
| 10 mins | Dream big! |
| 30 mins*
*if limited on time, address just one or two bullets |
How would you invest funding? Consider the Guidance on the Use of Funds from Social Media Lawsuits
|
| 5 mins | Wrap-up
|
FACILITATOR TALK TRACK
Background: (5 min)
My name is __________, and I’ll be your facilitator today.
Fund IRL is a national coalition working to ensure that if social media lawsuits result in funding intended to address harms to young people, those resources are invested in programs and services that help young people connect, build relationships, and thrive in real life.
Across the country, thousands of lawsuits are moving forward, including in more than 40 states. The lawsuits are about companies profiting off of young people’s engagement, despite knowing about harms to youth mental health and safety. The question is, if these cases result in billions of dollars to states, what do young people get?
This is a moment to shape decisions before they are made.
In collaboration with a handful of national coalition partners, Fund IRL created Guidance on the Use of Funds from Social Media Lawsuits to give guidance to state attorneys general on how to think about allocating social media litigation payouts or settlement funds. In other words, the Framework is a list of what we think the funds should be spent on.
Based on what we’ve learned from earlier settlements such as with tobacco and opioids, lawsuits like this could result in billions of dollars, but it’s not guaranteed that the funds will actually go to the right solutions. For example, most tobacco settlement dollars went back to states without restrictions on how they were spent, so they could go to anything like roads and bridges, unrelated to the lawsuits. In opioid settlements, there were some guidelines about how to spend the funds but it was still up for interpretation (i.e. one state invested in prisons and called it prevention). We also learned that without community oversight, the funds could be distributed without public transparency and accountability. Fund IRL is here to avoid those mistakes of past settlements, and we need your help to ensure any resulting dollars actually go to what young people value and need.
Today, we’re going to talk about Fund IRL’s Guidance on the Use of Funds from Social Media Lawsuits, and we’ll ask you some questions to get your feedback. The audience for this guidance are the decision-makers who will be involved in deciding where funds go, specifically state Attorneys General and legislators. We’re in touch with several Attorneys General who are eager to receive youth input on this issue.
Introductions: (10 min)
Let’s start with introductions. Please share your name, age, your go-to IRL activity for when you’re spending time off screens.
General Feedback: Dream Big! (10 min)
If billions of dollars were available to invest in youth well-being and IRL experiences, what do you think the funding should be spent on?
What would you hope the funding would not be spent on?
Guidance on the Use of Funds from Social Media Lawsuits: AKA what to invest the money in (30 min)
**If you have less than 60 minutes for the focus group, trim down this section and only ask about one or two of these areas or split into smaller groups with each group tackling one area.
The Harms Reduction Framework in this guidance is a draft list of where Fund IRL coalition members think the funds should go, modeled after a more detailed legal document from national Opioid settlements known as Exhibit E. This draft framework was developed in partnership with several national coalition members who bring expertise in youth development and mental health. This list is meant to provide attorneys general with investment solutions that center young people when they enter negotiations with social media companies and judges. The list is intended to be comprehensive, yet concise.
IRL Alternatives to Social Media
Given that social media companies are on trial for intentionally designing their platforms to maximize use and screentime, Fund IRL believes that settlement funds should be invested in non-digital programs and services that strengthen IRL connection, belonging, and healthy development.
What on this list resonates with you as something that would provide real life alternatives to screen time and promote youth mental health and well-being?
If you were to change 1-2 things about this list (add/subtract/edit), what would you change?
Safe Engagement Tools & Policies
We know young people use social media and other apps and that they can have many beneficial uses. However, we also know that as currently designed, these platforms present many dangers to young people’s development, safety, and mental health. Education and safe engagement are critical.
What on this list resonates with you as an important approach for promoting youth safety and healthy online engagement?
If you were to change 1-2 things about this list (add/subtract/edit), what would you change?
Mental Health Supports
Social media companies are being sued for the harms their platforms have caused to young people’s mental health. If these lawsuits generate funding, a portion would go to supporting mental health interventions for the young people most impacted. We’d like to know what you think would make mental health programs and services accessible and successful for young people.
What kinds of mental health supports are most helpful to you and your peers?
Where do you feel most comfortable receiving services?
What are some of the barriers you and your peers experience when trying to access mental health services?
Thank you & Staying in Touch: (5 min)
Thank you for sharing your ideas and feedback with the Fund IRL coalition. We are gathering feedback from coalition members and dozens of other young people like yourselves from across the country to ensure this Guidance provides the right solutions to youth well-being and mental health. If you’d like to add additional thoughts and ideas, please add them via this online form.
Before we leave, let’s take a group picture!
