Is your teen always on their phone? They may be addicted

Almost 1,500 school districts nationwide have joined a consolidated, multidistrict federal lawsuit, accusing popular social media giants, including Snapchat, YouTube, TikTok, and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) of negligence and public nuisance.

Among the school districts alleging that the “addictive and dangerous” platforms have sparked an increase in mental health problems among students are the Islip and East Islip school districts. The districts allege that due to the harm caused to students by social media, the districts have experienced financial and resource disruptions, plus a general disruption to the learning environment.

“What we are alleging here is that these companies are well aware of the harm they cause to children as a result of their platforms. It is addictive and is becoming a disruption not only out of school, but in school as well,” explained William Shinoff, an attorney based in San Diego, Calif., who is representing about 1,000 districts nationwide and over 100 in New York. “As a result of the harm they caused through their platform, there is an increase in mental health issues in children, and school districts have to increase funding in mental health. They also have had to take steps to deal with either threats or other disruptions to the school through social media, and they have had to figure out ways to make sure kids are not on social media during the school day. So, there is the financial aspect to it, and also the disruption to the learning environment.”

“The problem with social media is multifold. It causes disruptions at schools because sometimes fights start over it; sometimes kids are going to counselors for social workers because they end up getting distraught over something that was on social media; or cyberbullying,” shared superintendent of Islip schools, Dr. Dennis O’Hara. “So, it is not as if something specific happened in Islip that caused us to sue. It is more so that this is a no-cost chance for us to possibly get some money that we could put toward resources.”

Indeed, the district will only have to pay their attorney if they win the lawsuit and are awarded money.

“We have nothing to lose, but something to gain,” added O’Hara.

When contacted for comment, the East Islip School District stated they do not comment on ongoing litigation.

The original lawsuit was filed in 2022 in the California federal court, and due to the large number of claims and the similarity of the allegations, plaintiffs have a right to request to consolidate their claims before a single court.

Currently, the consolidated multidistrict federal lawsuit includes an array of cases, including cases filed by school districts filed by attorney generals, and wrongful death and personal injury cases filed by parents (alleging kids have taken their lives due to social media, had access to fentanyl through Snapchat, etc.). About 42 attorney generals, including New York attorney general Letitia James, are currently suing Meta for violation of their respective consumer protection laws.

While most social media companies did not respond to requests for comment, Google, owner of YouTube, issued a response.

“Providing young people with a safer, healthier experience has always been core to our work. In collaboration with youth, mental health and parenting experts, we built services and policies to provide young people with age-appropriate experiences, and parents with robust controls,” stated José Castañeda, Google spokesperson. “The allegations in these complaints are simply not true.”

The social media giants’ degree of liability will be determined in court, with a trial date set for October 2025.

The trial will come in the wake of ongoing state and federal advisories warning of the harmful effects social media has on youth mental health.

On May 23, 2023, United States surgeon general Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory urging policymakers, technology companies, parents, children, and researchers to take specific action to mitigate the harm caused.

A year later, on June 17, 2024, Dr. Murthy stated in a New York Times opinion guest essay that the mental health crisis among young people is an emergency, and social media has emerged as an important contributor. 

“Adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of anxiety and depression symptoms, and the average daily use in this age group, as of the summer of 2023, was 4.8 hours,” stated Dr. Murthy.

Dr. Murthy wrote that it is now necessary to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms—reminiscent of warnings placed on cigarettes—stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents. This warning would require congressional action.

A mere three days later, on June 20, Gov. Kathy Hochul joined attorney general James and bill sponsors to sign legislation to restrict addictive social media feeds and protect kids online.

Legislation S.7694A/A.8148A establishes the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) For Kids Act to require social media companies to restrict addictive feeds on their platforms for users under 18. Legislation S.7695B/A.8149A enables the New York Child Data Protection Act to prohibit online sites from collecting, using, sharing or selling personal data of anyone under the age of 18, unless they receive informed consent or unless doing so is strictly necessary for the purpose of the website.

The SAFE for Kids Act is the first bill of its kind to be signed into law in any state across the nation.

“By reining in addictive feeds and shielding kids’ personal data, we’ll provide a safer digital environment, give parents more peace of mind, and create a brighter future for young people across New York,” Hochul said.