"TikTok and Instagram Ruined Kids"… New York City Files Lawsuit

Against 5 Social Media Platform Operators
"Serious Harm to Youth Mental Health"

The city of New York in the United States has filed a lawsuit against major social networking service (SNS) platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. The reason cited is their responsibility for causing serious harm to adolescent mental health.

Image courtesy of New York City (NYC)

On the 14th (local time), New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced at a press conference that a lawsuit had been filed in a California court against the operators of five social media platforms: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and YouTube.

Mayor Adams stated, "Over the past decade, we have seen how addictive and overwhelming the online world can be," adding, "Our children are constantly exposed to harmful content, fueling a national youth mental health crisis." He continued, "We have stepped forward on behalf of millions of New Yorkers to hold these (SNS platform) companies accountable for their role in this crisis," emphasizing, "This is to address a public health threat."

This lawsuit follows recommendations from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, which classified unrestricted access to and use of SNS as a public health risk. New York City believes that SNS platform companies deliberately designed addictive platforms and used harmful algorithms targeting adolescents to increase profits. Specifically, these algorithms encourage compulsive use, create cravings for "likes" and "hearts" through gambling-like mechanisms, and exert a powerful social influence especially on teenagers.

The complaint includes claims that the platforms’ intentional and negligent actions have been a substantial factor in triggering the youth mental health crisis, resulting in significant expenditures at the city level. According to New York City, more than 38% of high school students citywide experienced difficulties in daily activities due to feelings of depression last year. In 2021, it was reported that 77% of New York City high school students spent an average of more than three hours in front of screens.

Additionally, New York City pointed out that as the youth mental health crisis worsens due to SNS, it spends over $100 million annually on mental health-related programs and services. The lawsuit aims to hold companies accountable for adolescent SNS addiction and to recover these costs.

The platform companies immediately rebutted the claims. TikTok emphasized in a statement that it has safeguards such as parental controls and age restrictions to protect teenage users. Google also stated, "Providing a safer and healthier online experience for young people is at the core of our work." Meta Platforms, which operates Instagram and Facebook, stressed, "We have spent a decade addressing these issues," and "We ensure that teenagers have safe and age-appropriate experiences online."