Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announced Wednesday that she has filed a lawsuit against social media giant Meta and other companies, accusing them of deliberately targeting children with addictive features.
Mayor Wu says she the lawsuit is to hold the companies accountable for their addictive features like endless scrolling, constant notifications, and targeted algorithms.
In addition to Meta, the city is also suing TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube.
The city says they have seen an increase in student mental health needs due to social media use.
In 2021, 44 percent of Boston public high school students reported persistent sadness, an increase from 27 percent in 2015.
“Social media companies have evidence of the harm they are causing to our kids by designing platforms that keep them hooked in endless scrolling and monetizing engagement at the expense of their mental health,” said Mayor Wu in a statement. “Boston is taking legal action to protect children and youth and hold these companies accountable. Today, we are making it clear that social media companies must end exploitative practices and be accountable to standards of basic protection for children.”
Boston public schools say they have exponentially expanded their mental health resources in recent years and now employ 240 social workers and 105 school psychologists,
The school system only employed six social workers and 48 school psychologists in 2007, according to Wu’s office.
The lawsuit by the city comes as a new bill to regulate social media reaches the state senate this week.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in the Northern District of California.
Boston 25 News has reached out to Meta for comment.
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