New York City sues tech giants over youth mental health impact

New York City has filed a lawsuit against major social media companies, including the parent firms of Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube and Google. The city accuses these companies of contributing to a mental health crisis among young people, as reported by Euronews.

The 327-page complaint, filed in Manhattan federal court, claims the platforms intentionally designed addictive features such as endless content feeds and constant notifications, despite knowing their harmful effects on children and teenagers. The city alleges the companies prioritized profit over user well-being and ignored research linking excessive social media use to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.

The lawsuit seeks damages and accuses the firms of gross negligence and creating a public nuisance. It adds to a growing number of legal challenges in the U.S. against social media giants over their impact on youth mental health.

This move follows Australia’s announcement of plans to ban social media use for users under age 16. Denmark could become the second country to implement such a ban on underage users of social networks.