NYC Sues Meta, Snap, TikTok & YouTube Over Youth Mental Health Crisis
New York City, joined by the city school district and NYC Health + Hospitals, has filed a lawsuit accusing Meta, Snap, TikTok and YouTube/Google of intentionally designing addictive platforms that have contributed to a youth mental health crisis.
Key Allegations
- The companies “created, caused and contributed to the youth mental health crisis in New York City,” harming public health and safety and forcing the city, schools and hospitals to devote significant resources to respond.
- The complaint cites the rise of viral “subway surfing” posts as an example, noting several teen deaths and over 100 arrests tied to imitation of social media stunts.
- Teachers and school staff are reported to suffer secondary trauma and burnout from responding to students in crisis linked to platform-driven harms.
Company Response
“The allegations are simply not true” and “fundamentally misunderstand” YouTube, said Google spokesperson José Castañeda. He noted YouTube is a streaming service and highlighted safety tools like Supervised Experiences.
What to Watch
The lawsuit is part of growing legal scrutiny of social platforms’ effects on youth. Outcomes could affect platform design, regulation, and school safety policies.
Sources
Share your thoughts below — do platforms bear primary responsibility, or do parents and regulators need to do more?