New York City Sues Social Media Giants for “Addicting” Children

New York City has filed a sweeping 327-page federal lawsuit against major social media companies including Meta (Facebook, Instagram), Alphabet (Google, YouTube), Snap (Snapchat), and ByteDance (TikTok). The city claims these platforms have designed features that exploit the psychology of youth, cultivating compulsive use that leads to negative outcomes such as sleep deprivation, chronic school absences, and dangerous behaviors like “subway surfing.”

In the complaint, New York insists the tech firms are liable for gross negligence and creating a public nuisance, because the city has shouldered rising costs in its school and health systems in response to a worsening youth mental health crisis. The lawsuit seeks damages and accountability for the harms alleged.

New York is joining a wave of more than 2,050 related lawsuits nationwide, consolidating legal pressure on social media companies over their impact on children. Previously, the city had filed claims in state court but withdrew to instead align with ongoing federal litigation in California.

In its defense, Google has rejected the claim that YouTube qualifies as a social media platform in this context, saying the allegations are unfounded. Other defendants have not yet formally responded.

The city’s filing includes alarming data: 77.3% of high school students and 82.1% of girls said they spend three or more hours daily on screens (including social media), contributing to lost sleep and absenteeism. The complaint also blames social media for encouraging hazardous stunts like riding on moving trains, citing at least 16 subway surfing deaths since 2023.