Social Media Giants Sued for NY's Teen Mental Health Crisis

Photo byUS Department of Labor, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commo

In an attempt to hold the owners of five significant social media sites "financially responsible" for the city's teenage mental health issue, Mayor Adams' administration filed a lawsuit against them on Wednesday. This action joins a growing number of comparable lawsuits filed by states nationwide.

The proprietors of Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook "knew or should have known" that their platforms would negatively impact children's and teens' mental health and welfare, according to the case, which was filed in California Superior Court.

The lawsuit specifically alleges that because the platforms' "dangerous and addictive" algorithms are meant to increase engagement—even if that engagement results from the advancement of violent, sexist, and racist content—they are increasing the incidence of juvenile suicide, radicalization, self-harm, anxiety, and depression.

This lawsuit has three counts: public nuisance, gross negligence, and negligence. The plaintiffs are requesting monetary damages, a jury trial, and company behavior modifications.

New York is alleging their behavior has placed a financial strain on the city and created a crisis that has affected schools, hospitals, and other neighborhoods. During a news conference, Adams detailed how social media addiction has left New York City teenagers hopeless, addicted to their phones, performing poorly in school, and lacking in social skills.

"Our city is built on innovation and technology, but many social media platforms end up endangering our children's mental health, promoting addiction, and encouraging unsafe behavior," Adams said in a release. He added:

• "We're taking bold action on behalf of millions of New Yorkers to hold these companies accountable for their role in this crisis, and we're building on our work to address this public health hazard."
• "This lawsuit and action plan are part of a larger reckoning that will shape the lives of our young people, our city, and our society for years to come."

In defense of social media, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said, "We want teens to have safe, age-appropriate experiences online, and we have over 30 tools and features to support them and their parents. We've spent a decade working on these issues and hiring people who have dedicated their careers to keeping young people safe and supported online."

Ashwin Vasan, Adams’ health commissioner, stated litigation can only do so much when reforming social media platforms. He said congressional legislation is ultimately going to be required to overhaul social media platforms’ focus on catering to young audiences because “we know they are not going anywhere.”

The amount of money requested was not revealed. When asked for a dollar figure in punitive damages that the city is seeking, Sylvia Hinds-Radix, the city’s corporation counsel, told reporters, "At this time, to give you a number of what we expect is not something we’re prepared to do.”