Seattle public schools have filed a lawsuit against tech giants, including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat, accusing them of creating a “mental health crisis among America’s Youth.” According to the 91-page lawsuit filed in a US district court, the platforms have exploited the addictive nature of social media, leading to rising anxiety, depression and thoughts of self-harm among young users.
The complaint states that these companies have made choices to design and operate their platforms in ways that exploit the psychology and neurophysiology of users, leading them to spend excessive amounts of time on their platforms. As a result of these choices, the platforms have “hooked” tens of millions of students across the country into addictive behaviour.
The lawsuit also claims that harmful content, including extreme diet plans and encouragement of self-harm, is pushed to users, which has led to a 30 percent increase between 2009 and 2019 of students who report feeling “so sad or hopeless… for two weeks or more in a row that [they] stopped doing some usual activities.” The schools are seeking to hold these companies liable for the harm they have caused to the mental health of their students.
Seattle public schools have filed a lawsuit against tech giants, accusing them of creating a “mental health crisis among America’s Youth” through their social media platforms. The lawsuit claims that the excessive use of these platforms has led to a drop in academic performance among students, and has made them “less likely to attend school, more likely to engage in substance use, and to act out, all of which directly affects Seattle Public Schools’ ability to fulfil its educational mission.”
Section 230 of the US Communications Decency Act generally exempts online platforms from being held responsible for content posted by third parties. However, the lawsuit claims that the provision does not protect social media companies from the harm caused by their recommendations, distribution, and promotion of content.
Tech giants have defended themselves, pointing to tools and features they have put in place to prioritize the well-being of children and teenagers. For example, Google’s Family Link provides parents with the ability to set reminders, limit screen time and block certain types of content on supervised devices. Meta Global Head of Safety, Antigone Davis said the company has developed more than 30 tools for teens and families, including supervision tools that limit time spent on Instagram, and age verification technology to help ensure age-appropriate experiences. TikTok has yet to respond to the lawsuit, but the company has previously said they were dedicated to safety.
This lawsuit comes after criticism and accusation of social media companies exploiting teens and children, some experts have testified to congress and wrote in articles that “Facebook’s products harm children” and social media can send teens into “a dangerous spiral”. The issue has caught the attention of legislators, who proposed the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) last year to address concerns.
