New York City has taken a significant legal step by suing several social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and YouTube. The lawsuit alleges that these platforms’ designs exploit young users’ mental health and result in a staggering $100 million annual cost to the city for related health programs and services.
The city claims that these social media platforms are responsible for a rise in mental health issues among young people, such as depression and suicidal thoughts. According to the lawsuit, these issues place a heavy burden on cities, school districts, and public hospital systems that provide mental health services to youth.
This legal action comes in the wake of recent congressional hearings where executives from social media platforms faced tough questions regarding their impact on younger users, particularly teenage girls, and their exposure to harmful content affecting mental health and body image.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams emphasized the significance of the lawsuit, likening it to past actions taken against tobacco and guns. The city seeks monetary damages and equitable relief to fund prevention education and mental health treatment.
In addition to the lawsuit, New York City unveiled a social media action plan aimed at holding these companies accountable, providing education and support to young people and families, and studying the long-term impacts of social media on youth.
Representatives from the social media companies responded to the allegations. Snapchat emphasized its focus on communication between close friends, while Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, highlighted the tools and features it provides to support users and parents. TikTok also mentioned various tools it offers to support young users, including automatic time limits.
Google, the parent company of YouTube, disputed the allegations, stating that it works with mental health experts to provide age-appropriate experiences and parental controls.
Mayor Adams reiterated his concerns about the harmful and addictive features of social media, which he believes are negatively impacting the lives of young people. He described the lawsuit as a bold action to hold these companies accountable for their role in the crisis.
However, suing social media platforms in the United States is challenging due to Section 230, a federal law that protects tech companies from being held liable for user-generated content. In contrast, the EU’s Digital Service Act allows for lawsuits against companies that violate the law, with penalties of up to 6% of their worldwide revenues.