New York City Sues Meta, Google, Snapchat, and TikTok Over Youth Addiction to Social Media

New York City has taken a bold legal step by filing a sweeping 327-page lawsuit against some of the biggest names in social media—Meta Platforms, Google’s parent firm Alphabet, Snap, and ByteDance, owner of TikTok—alleging that these companies have intentionally designed their platforms to addict young people and fuel a youth mental health crisis. Filed in Manhattan federal court, the lawsuit accuses these tech giants of "gross negligence" and creating a "public nuisance" by exploiting the psychology and neurophysiology of children to promote compulsive use, which has led to sleep deprivation, chronic absenteeism, and risky behaviors among city youth.

The lawsuit highlights its connection to a wider national crisis, with around 2,050 similar cases consolidated in federal court in Oakland, California. Representing one of the largest plaintiffs in this litigation, New York City cites its population of approximately 8.48 million people, including 1.8 million under the age of 18. The city's educational and healthcare systems are also plaintiffs, emphasizing the widespread institutional strain caused by this crisis.

Key allegations focus on social media platform features such as endless scrolling, variable rewards similar to gambling mechanics, and notifications designed to keep users, especially young users, hooked for profit. The complaint specifically links social media addiction to dangerous behaviors like "subway surfing"—riding atop moving trains—a trend correlated with at least 16 deaths since 2023, including two girls aged 12 and 13 who recently died.

The city presents alarming statistics that 77.3% of New York City high school students, including 82.1% of girls, spend three or more hours daily on screens, contributing to lost sleep and increased school absences. New York City’s Health Commissioner declared social media a public health hazard in January 2024, marking the first major city to issue such a designation. The lawsuit seeks both financial damages exceeding $100 million annually that the city spends on youth mental health programs, and injunctive relief mandating changes to platform design.

While Google has denied the allegations concerning YouTube’s role—stating it is a streaming service, not a social network—other companies involved did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The lawsuit underscores growing scrutiny of social media firms for prioritizing profit over the well-being of young users, adding to an expanding wave of legal actions nationwide aiming to hold these corporations accountable for the mental health harms they are alleged to cause.benzinga+5