New York City Sues Facebook, TikTok, and Google Over Teen Mental Health Crisis
New York City is taking on Silicon Valley’s most prominent players, accusing them of fueling a youth mental health crisis.
In a sweeping 327-page lawsuit filed in federal court, the city claims that Facebook, Google, Snapchat, TikTok, and other social media giants have knowingly hooked children on their platforms, creating what officials call a “public nuisance.”
Subway surfing, lost sleep, and chronic absenteeism
The complaint states that 77.3% of New York City high school students, including 82.1% of girls, admitted to spending three or more hours a day using TV, computers, and smartphones. This has contributed to lost sleep and chronic absenteeism from school.
“Social media use by teens has recently been implicated in alarming increases in dangerous and even deadly off-campus activity in New York City,” the lawsuit alleges.
For example, the suit claims that the platforms’ algorithms are leading to an increase in risky behaviors such as “subway surfing,” when children ride on top of moving trains. These behaviors, according to the complaint, are resulting in significant costs to schools, educators, and the public health system.
Citing data from the NYC Police Department, the lawsuit maintains that since 2023, at least 16 teens have died in these types of incidents, including two girls, aged 12 and 13, who died this month.
Other cities involved
New York City is not alone. There are about 2,050 similar lawsuits filed by other governments, school districts, and individuals in the Oakland, California, federal court.
With a population of 8.48 million, including about 1.8 million under 18, New York City is one of the largest plaintiffs. The city’s school and healthcare systems are among the plaintiffs.
Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda pushed back, saying that allegations involving YouTube are “simply not true,” in part because it is not a social network where people engage with others.
Over one-third of 13- to 17-year-old children nationwide reported using these social media platforms “almost constantly,” according to the lawsuit, and they admit this is “too much.” Yet, the suit stated that more than half of these children reported struggling to limit their social media use.
The lawsuit comes as the federal government takes a closer look at social media regulation. Last month, an executive order advanced a $14 billion US deal for TikTok, signaling growing scrutiny over how tech companies handle data, algorithms, and their influence on young users.
