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A lawsuit filed by Seattle Public Schools alleges that social media is one of the main causes of “a youth mental health crisis” and blames social media companies for “exploit[ing] the neurophysiology” of kids’ brains. Arguing that social media companies are violating the state public nuisance law, the lawsuit seeks financial damages and other remedies from the owners of Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube.
“Defendants have successfully exploited the vulnerable brains of youth, hooking tens of millions of students across the country into positive feedback loops of excessive use and abuse of Defendants’ social media platforms,” the lawsuit said. “Worse, the content Defendants curate and direct to youth is too often harmful and exploitive (e.g., promoting a ‘corpse bride’ diet, eating 300 calories a day, or encouraging self-harm).”
The complaint was filed Thursday in US District Court for the Western District of Washington.
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Source: Ars Technica – Schools sue social networks, claim they “exploit neurophysiology” of kids’ brains