Seattle schools sue tech giants, including TikTok and Meta over youth mental health crisis

[lightbright]

Students Samantha Ashworth, left, and Sarah Attia talk to their mothers on their phones at school in Long Beach, Calif., on March 24, 2021.

Seattle Public Schools is suing social media companies including TikTok and Meta, saying the tech giants' "misconduct has been a substantial factor in causing a youth mental health crisis."

Driving the news: "This mental health crisis is no accident. It is the result of the Defendants’ deliberate choices and affirmative actions to design and market their social media platforms to attract youth," the lawsuit states.

• "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 complaint, which was filed Friday, says.
• The lawsuit alleges that the defendants have violated Washington state's public nuisance law.

What they're saying: "We have invested heavily in creating safe experiences for children across our platforms and have introduced strong protections and dedicated features to prioritize their wellbeing," Google spokesperson José Castañeda said in a statement.

• "For example, through Family Link, we provide parents with the ability to set reminders, limit screen time and block specific types of content on supervised devices," Castañeda said.
• “While we can’t comment on the specifics of active litigation, nothing is more important to us than the wellbeing of our community," a Snap spokesperson said in a statement.
• "We will continue working to make sure our platform is safe and to give Snapchatters dealing with mental health issues resources to help them deal with the challenges facing young people today," the Snap spokesperson continued.

Meanwhile, Antigone Davis, global head of safety at Meta, said in a statement that the firm wanted teens to be safe online.

• "We've developed more than 30 tools to support teens and families, including supervision tools that let parents limit the amount of time their teens spend on Instagram, and age verification technology that helps teens have age-appropriate experiences," Davis added.

• "We'll continue to work closely with experts, policymakers and parents on these important issues.”
• TikTok did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

The big picture: Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen in 2021 testified that the tech giant is aware that some of its platforms are harmful to certain populations, including teenagers, but targets them anyway.

• The lawsuit said that from 2009 to 2019, there was an average 30% increase in the number of students at Seattle Public Schools who reported feeling "so sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more in a row that [they] stopped doing some usual activities."

Seattle schools sue tech giants including TikTok, Meta over youth mental health crisis (axios.com)

 

[Soul On Ice]

Students Samantha Ashworth, left, and Sarah Attia talk to their mothers on their phones at school in Long Beach, Calif., on March 24, 2021.

Seattle Public Schools is suing social media companies including TikTok and Meta, saying the tech giants' "misconduct has been a substantial factor in causing a youth mental health crisis."

Driving the news: "This mental health crisis is no accident. It is the result of the Defendants’ deliberate choices and affirmative actions to design and market their social media platforms to attract youth," the lawsuit states.

• "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 complaint, which was filed Friday, says.
• The lawsuit alleges that the defendants have violated Washington state's public nuisance law.

What they're saying: "We have invested heavily in creating safe experiences for children across our platforms and have introduced strong protections and dedicated features to prioritize their wellbeing," Google spokesperson José Castañeda said in a statement.

• "For example, through Family Link, we provide parents with the ability to set reminders, limit screen time and block specific types of content on supervised devices," Castañeda said.
• “While we can’t comment on the specifics of active litigation, nothing is more important to us than the wellbeing of our community," a Snap spokesperson said in a statement.
• "We will continue working to make sure our platform is safe and to give Snapchatters dealing with mental health issues resources to help them deal with the challenges facing young people today," the Snap spokesperson continued.

Meanwhile, Antigone Davis, global head of safety at Meta, said in a statement that the firm wanted teens to be safe online.

• "We've developed more than 30 tools to support teens and families, including supervision tools that let parents limit the amount of time their teens spend on Instagram, and age verification technology that helps teens have age-appropriate experiences," Davis added.

• "We'll continue to work closely with experts, policymakers and parents on these important issues.”
• TikTok did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

The big picture: Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen in 2021 testified that the tech giant is aware that some of its platforms are harmful to certain populations, including teenagers, but targets them anyway.

• The lawsuit said that from 2009 to 2019, there was an average 30% increase in the number of students at Seattle Public Schools who reported feeling "so sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more in a row that [they] stopped doing some usual activities."

Seattle schools sue tech giants including TikTok, Meta over youth mental health crisis (axios.com)

 

[lightbright]

When you know that you hit the fag dog hord.... it starts barking loud
sidebar: slurp, slurp, SLURP.... Buuuuurrrrp




.

 

[bgbtylvr]

It’s a start. These kids are I just saw something on YouTube called the ghost Titty challenge. Social media fucking up souls.

 

[RoadRage]

It’s a start. These kids are I just saw something on YouTube called the ghost Titty challenge. Social media fucking up souls.

Had to google the disgusting shit up myself, and just to make sure it was the right challenge I had to look at it ten time just to make sure.
BTW got any other videos of this filthy shit, I think I am going have to do more investigations later on in the evening.

 

[lightbright]

Had to google the disgusting shit up myself, and just to make sure it was the right challenge I had to look at it ten time just to make sure.
BTW got any other videos of this filthy shit, I think I am going have to do more investigations later on in the evening.

In one day, the game will be the "Ghost Titty Wet T-Shirt" challenge

 

[RoadRage]

In one day, the game will be the "Ghost Titty Wet T-Shirt" challenge

Hells yeah, opps I mean ewwwww that type of nastiness will require extra investigation.

 

[Flawless]

So parents take no responsibility for the apps their kids install on their devices?

 

[SPECTRE1]

I heard about this lawsuit. After Demar Hamlin, they need more physical activity. I messed with one of the youngling women and she was shocked that sex lasted that long and I was not sweating profusely. Guys her age are out of breath and winded after a couple of minutes.

The turnover rate for physically demanding jobs is sky high for young workers, they can't physically handle it. I had to rescue one of them that collapsed, He kept saying - "Is there a heaven for a G?" after thinking he was going to die.

They finally reengineered the workstations where a robot brings them product, all they have to do is reach over and grab it. No wonder malls are dying, too much walking.

 

[killagram]

Had to google the disgusting shit up myself, and just to make sure it was the right challenge I had to look at it ten time just to make sure.
BTW got any other videos of this filthy shit, I think I am going have to do more investigations later on in the evening.

this is Filthy and tainted....I'm so disgusted...I keep looking to take down various tikTokers...im seething with disgust...brah

 

[THREAD_CRITIC]

Had to google the disgusting shit up myself, and just to make sure it was the right challenge I had to look at it ten time just to make sure.
BTW got any other videos of this filthy shit, I think I am going have to do more investigations later on in the evening.