February 15 (UPI) — A month after declaring social media a public health hazard, New York City has issued a new lawsuit saying social media’s dangerous and addictive features are fueling the nation’s youth mental health crisis. is suing the major platform.
The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in California Superior Court against TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and YouTube, accusing them of embedding design features borrowed from the gambling and tobacco industries into their platforms at the expense of engagement and advertising revenue. I was sued. Protecting the health of urban youth.
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“Defendants know that children and adolescents are at a developmental stage and are particularly vulnerable to the addictive nature of these features,” the city said in its complaint. “Defendants are targeting them anyway for additional profits.”
The city said platforms’ use of algorithms and mechanisms, manipulation through reciprocity, and their negligent behavior are key factors fueling the youth mental health crisis.
“Over the past decade, we have learned how addictive and overwhelming the online world can be, exposing children to content they are not ready for, disrupting the educational process, and seriously damaging their self-esteem and well-being. We saw it happen,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said at a press conference announcing the lawsuit.
“Today, we are suing to hold companies accountable for the negative impact their platforms are having on the mental health of young people.”
The lawsuit comes less than a month after the city issued a health commissioner recommendation that designated social media a “public health hazard,” making it the first city to take such action. .
Adams said Wednesday that recent data shows young people in New York City are experiencing anxiety, hopelessness and suicidal thoughts at unprecedented rates, and there is growing evidence that social media is a major culprit. He said that
He said social media was also linked to a range of concerns, from online bullying and sleep deprivation to dangerous challenges such as widespread xenophobia and subway surfing.
“We face a serious mental health crisis among our youth, and it is up to us as parents, as a city, and as a society to take action to not only improve academic performance and develop social skills, but also save lives.” “It’s up to us as individuals,” he said.
