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New York City, USA, February 14 (EFE) – New York City on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and YouTube, accusing them of fueling a nationwide “youth mental health crisis.”
The lawsuit was filed in California Superior Court by New York City, the Department of Education, and the Department of Health, and was announced by New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
New York City spends more than $100 million each year on youth mental health programs and services, the mayor said in a statement posted on the city’s website.
“Our city is built on innovation and technology, but many social media platforms end up endangering children’s mental health, promoting addiction, and encouraging risky behavior.” “That’s the case,” Adams said.
“Today, on behalf of millions of New Yorkers, we are taking bold action to hold these companies accountable for their role in this crisis and step up efforts to address this public health danger. “This lawsuit and action plan are part of a larger reckoning that will shape the lives of our young people, our cities, and our society for years to come.” added.
On January 24, New York City officially designated social media as a “public health crisis,” on par with tobacco and guns.
“We cannot stand by and watch Big Tech monetize our children’s privacy and put their mental health at risk,” the mayor said.
In 2021, 77% of New York City high school students reported spending an average of three or more hours in front of a screen per school day, according to the statement.
The complaint alleges that social platforms use “algorithms that generate feeds that keep users on the platform longer and encourage compulsive use,” the use of “gambling-like mechanisms in app design,” and the use of reciprocity. It explains some of the tactics. Encourage teens to “come back to the platform again and again to make their online engagement and immediate responses permanent.”
New York is the first major city to file charges against five major technology companies.
In October, 41 states sued Facebook and Instagram’s parent company, Meta, for fueling a youth mental health crisis. EFE
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