New York City has filed a lawsuit against several social media networks, claiming that their platform designs harm the mental health of young users and result in the city losing $100 million annually on health programs and services.
The city of New York has filed a lawsuit against TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and YouTube, alleging that these platforms have contributed to a rise in mental health problems among young individuals, such as depression and suicidal thoughts. The lawsuit claims that these problems place a significant strain on cities, school districts, and public hospital systems that offer mental health services to young people.
Following recent congressional hearings, a lawsuit has been filed against social media platforms regarding the impact of harmful content on younger users, especially teenage girls.
There has been an increase in the number of families filing lawsuits against social media companies, as well as US states and municipalities, claiming harm to their children’s mental health. However, at a press conference on Wednesday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams emphasized that NYC is the first major American city to take significant steps in addressing the dangers of social media, drawing a parallel to actions taken regarding tobacco and guns by the surgeon general.
New York City announced its intention to pursue financial compensation and resources for prevention education and mental health treatment.
The city unveiled a social media action plan outlining its strategies to ensure accountability from social media companies, offer education and assistance to youth and families, and examine the lasting effects of social media on young people.
A Snap spokesperson informed that the platform was deliberately created to diverge from conventional social media, emphasizing facilitating communication with close friends by opening directly to the camera instead of a content feed.
“Although there is always more work to be done, we are pleased with the impact Snapchat has in supporting close friends to feel connected, happy, and ready to tackle the challenges of adolescence,” the spokesperson stated.
Meanwhile, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, Meta, stated that it provides over 30 tools and features to assist users and their parents.
“We’ve spent a decade working on these issues and hiring individuals who have dedicated their careers to keeping young people safe and supported online,” a spokesperson stated.
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Lawsuit Targets Concerns Over Youth Well-Be
Just like TikTok, a spokesperson mentioned that they provide support for young users through different tools like automatic time limits. They also collaborate with experts to stay updated on the latest best practices.
Google, the parent company of YouTube, collaborates with mental health and other professionals to provide age-appropriate experiences and parental controls. “The claims in this complaint are just not accurate,” stated José Castañeda, a representative from Google.
During his recent State of the City address, Mayor Adams expressed concerns about the impact of social media, referring to it as a potential public health hazard and environmental toxin. Furthermore, the lawsuit is based on the Surgeon General’s warning from last year, which stated that social media poses a significant risk of harm to children.
Adams stated, during the announcement of the action plan, that he is growing increasingly concerned about the “dangerous” and “addictive” elements that influence the lives of young people.
“Instead of engaging in face-to-face conversations during lunch at the cafeteria, they are glued to their screens,” he remarked. Instead of enjoying the outdoors with friends, they are indoors on a sunny day, clicking and scrolling. Instead of gaining confidence and resilience, they are being exposed to content that frequently results in feelings of insecurity and depression.
The individual mentioned that taking legal action against these companies represents a strong step on behalf of countless New Yorkers to ensure these companies are held responsible for their involvement in this situation.
Yet, in the US, it is challenging to take legal action against social media platforms due to a 28-year-old federal law known as “Section 230,” which states that tech companies are not responsible for the content users share on their platforms.
In comparison, companies may face lawsuits for up to 6% of their global revenues for breaching the law under the EU’s Digital Service Act.
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