New York City files lawsuit against TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube over alleged negative impact on children's mental health.

• The lawsuit filed by New York City accuses Meta, Snap, ByteDance, and Google of intentionally designing and promoting their platforms to attract, retain, and addict young users.
• The allegations made against Meta, Snap, TikTok, and Alphabet in litigation filed in 2022 in the Northern District of California are echoed by the suit.
• A Google representative said the latest allegations are “simply not true.”

On Wednesday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced that his administration has filed a lawsuit against the parent companies of TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and YouTube, claiming that their platforms are detrimental to the mental health of young adults and children in the largest U.S. city.

The lawsuit against the companies was filed in the Los Angeles county branch of the California Superior Court by the city of New York and several plaintiffs, including the school district and health organizations, due to their connections to the area, according to attorneys' filing.

The allegations in the suit claim that ByteDance, Google (which is owned by ), and others intentionally created, operated, and promoted their platforms to attract and addict young users, with little parental supervision.

The tech companies are accused of violating city laws related to public nuisance and gross negligence by designing and marketing their addictive products. The plaintiffs claim that New York's school districts and health and social services have been severely impacted by children who have suffered negative mental health consequences due to their use of popular social media apps.

In a statement, Adams emphasized the addictive and overwhelming nature of the online world, which exposes children to harmful content and contributes to the national youth mental health crisis. To address this issue, the city is taking bold action against the companies responsible and building on its previous efforts to tackle this public health hazard. The lawsuit and action plan are part of a larger reckoning that will have a significant impact on the lives of young people, the city, and society as a whole.

The company has "strong safeguards" for teenagers, including parental controls and age restrictions, according to a TikTok spokesperson.

The spokesperson stated that the company frequently collaborates with experts to comprehend evolving best practices and will persist in safeguarding the community by confronting industry-wide difficulties.

A Google representative said the allegations are “simply not true.”

Google has always prioritized offering young people a safer and healthier online experience. In partnership with youth, mental health, and parenting experts, we have developed services and policies that provide age-appropriate experiences for young people and empower parents with strong controls.

Meta has spent a decade working on issues related to online safety and wants teenagers to have safe, age-appropriate experiences online. To support this goal, they have over 30 tools and features available.

Snapchat was intentionally designed to differ from traditional social media, with a focus on enabling conversations with close friends, according to a Snap spokesperson.

Snapchat's camera-focused interface and lack of traditional public likes and comments sets it apart from other social media platforms, according to a Snap spokesperson. Despite ongoing efforts, the platform feels proud of its role in helping teenagers feel connected and prepared during the challenges of adolescence.

The lawsuit filed by New York against Meta, Snap, TikTok, and Alphabet mirrors allegations made in a 2022 lawsuit in the Northern District of California against these companies. The lawsuit claims that their products are defective because they are designed to maximize screen time, resulting in emotional and physical harm, including death.

Lawmakers have been pushing for regulation of social media companies, including the Kids Online Safety Act, and CEOs of Meta, TikTok, and Snap faced tough questions at a Senate Judiciary hearing about their alleged negligence in protecting children.

A coalition of over 40 attorneys general filed a joint federal lawsuit against Meta, alleging that its products are addictive and harm mental health.

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, expresses regret to parents during a Senate hearing on online child safety.