San Diego County sues social media platforms over youth mental health harms
San Diego County filed a lawsuit against Meta, TikTok, Google, YouTube and Snapchat, alleging they intentionally designed addictive platforms that have harmed youth mental health since 2010. The suit seeks court-ordered safeguards and damages to fund mental health treatment and education campaigns as youth hospitalizations for mental health crises have risen significantly.
What happened
San Diego County filed a lawsuit against the parent companies of Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat, accusing them of knowingly designing addictive platforms that harm young people's mental health to maximize views and advertising profits.
The suit alleges that suicidal thoughts and self-harm have skyrocketed since 2010, when social media became nearly universal among teens. Young people age 10 to 24 in San Diego County are now twice as likely as any other age group to visit emergency rooms for anxiety, depression or suicidal thoughts.
Reported impact
A 2023 Gallup survey found U.S. teens spend on average about five hours on social media each day. That same year, Rady Children's Hospital reported a 30% jump in children experiencing mental-health crises.
The lawsuit alleges the platforms' practices have created a public health and safety crisis and constitute a public nuisance.
Governance controls
The Board of Supervisors approved the legal action on a 3-2 vote in August 2024. The suit asks the court to require social media platforms to implement court-ordered safeguards.
Supervisor Lawson-Remer suggested monetary damages could help fund county education campaigns and behavioral-health treatment. She noted the suit focuses on demanding change with court-ordered safeguards, in addition to financial penalties.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.