Daijiworld Media Network – New York

New York, Oct 9: New York City has filed a federal lawsuit against major social media platforms—including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok—accusing them of fueling a mental health crisis among children by fostering addictive use. The 327-page complaint, filed in Manhattan federal court, seeks damages from Meta Platforms, Alphabet, Snap, and ByteDance, citing gross negligence and creating a public nuisance.

The city joins thousands of other plaintiffs nationwide in similar litigation, including governments, school districts, and individuals, with approximately 2,050 related lawsuits being pursued in federal court in Oakland, California. New York City, home to 8.48 million people including 1.8 million minors, cites its school and healthcare systems as directly impacted.

The complaint alleges that the platforms were deliberately designed to exploit the psychology and neurophysiology of youth, driving compulsive use for profit. According to the filing, 77.3% of New York City high school students—and 82.1% of girls—spend three or more hours daily on screens, contributing to sleep loss and chronic school absences.

The lawsuit also links social media to dangerous trends such as "subway surfing," noting at least 16 deaths since 2023, including two girls aged 12 and 13 this month. The city argues that taxpayers have been forced to cover the costs of addressing the resulting youth mental health issues.

A Google spokesperson said allegations against YouTube are “simply not true,” pointing out that the platform functions as a streaming service rather than a social network. Other companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

New York City officials emphasized that the defendants must be held accountable for the harms caused, stating, “As it stands now, plaintiffs are left to abate the nuisance and foot the bill.”