https://www.geekwire.com/2023/seattle-public-schools-sues-tiktok-youtube-instagram-and-others-seeking-compensation-for-youth-mental-health-crisis/ Toggle search box Toggle navigation GeekWire * Home * News + Amazon + Microsoft + Startups + Space + Geek Life + Podcasts + Civic presented by Microsoft + Sustainability + Impact Series + Health/Life Sciences + Health Tech Podcast + Geek of the Week + Tech Moves presented by TalentReach + Guide to re:Invent sponsored by AWS + GeekWire Elevator Pitch presented by WestRiver Group * Jobs * Events + GeekWire Events + Community Calendar * Lists + Amazon Office Buildings + GeekWire 200 + GeekWire Startup List + GeekWire Startup Resources + GeekWire Startup Spaces + Layoff Tracker + Northwest Women VC & Angel Investor List + Recent Fundings + M&As and IPOs + Seattle Engineering Outposts + Venture Capital Directory * Membership + Memberships + Health Benefits * About + About GeekWire + Email Newsletters + Contact Us + Advertise + Sponsors + Reprints & Permissions Search for: [ ] * LATEST NEWS * [satyabots] Microsoft, OpenAI, ChatGPT ... and Bing? The surprising way the integration could work * [igen-b-100x10] Seattle Public Schools sues TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and others, seeking compensation for youth mental health crisis * * [Sri-Chandrase] Point72's venture capital arm sees big opportunities in the Pacific Northwest * [2021_Group14_] Fast-growing battery materials startup Group14 embroiled in trade secret dispute * [CDI-Physician] Cardiac Dimensions raises $35M for device to treat condition associated with heart failure * [mikedavidson-] Ex-Twitter VP Mike Davidson joins Microsoft to lead Web Experiences design and research * [Starfield-pre] This could be the next big game for Microsoft's Xbox platform * [PreAct-360-de] PreAct, which sells near-field sensors for automakers, reels in $14M * [Lumotive_LCM_] Samsung's VC arm backs startup selling chips for 3D sensors in self-driving cars and robots * [deltawifi-100] T-Mobile inks deal with Delta to bring in-flight Wi-Fi for all customers * [ring-car-cam-] Ring Car Cam extends Amazon's security footprint further beyond the home * [arisa-chattas] FTC wants to ban non-compete clauses that keep workers from changing jobs, launching startups * [state-housing] Seattle business and tech leaders call for bold corporate action on housing crisis * [Teresa_Carlso] Tech Moves: Flexport hires Microsoft CVP; Avalara adds chief revenue officer; and more * [20211005_Geek] The end of 'everything' at Amazon: Record layoffs signal new mindset for sprawling tech giant * [Screenshot-20] KPMG acquires Seattle consultancy firm The Arnold Group * [wand2-100x100] Poof, it's gone: Magic-themed wizard bar and restaurant in Seattle closes after one year * [teslachargers] Tech plays key role as Washington state launches ambitious programs to curb carbon emissions * [amazon2-100x1] Amazon to lay off 18,000 corporate and tech workers * [bezos-climate] 'The billionaires are in charge' - here's who is spending the most on climate change efforts Trending: Ex-Twitter VP Mike Davidson joins Microsoft to lead Web Experiences design and research Seattle Public Schools sues TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and others, seeking compensation for youth mental health crisis by Todd Bishop on January 7, 2023 at 7:22 amJanuary 7, 2023 at 8:08 am Share 65 Tweet Share Reddit Email Become A Member [igen-b-630x420]"The i-Generation," public domain photo by Fouquier, via Flickr. A new lawsuit filed by Seattle Public Schools against TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Snap, Instagram, and their parent companies alleges that the social media giants have "successfully exploited the vulnerable brains of youth" for their own profit, using psychological tactics that have led to a mental health crisis in schools. The suit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Seattle, seeks "the maximum statutory and civil penalties permitted by law," making the case that the companies have violated Washington state's public nuisance law. Hundreds of families are pursuing similar cases against the companies, following revelations about the tactics used by Facebook, Instagram, and others to boost engagement among children and teenagers. However, Seattle Public Schools appears to be the first school district in the country to file such a suit against the companies. READ THE COMPLAINT Seattle School District No. 1 v. Meta Platforms, Snap Inc., TikTok, Alphabet, et al. The district alleges that it has suffered widespread financial and operational harm from social media usage and addiction among students. The lawsuit cites factors including the resources required to provide counseling services to students in crisis, and to investigate and respond to threats made against schools and students over social media. "This mental health crisis is no accident," the suit says. "It is the result of the Defendants' deliberate choices and affirmative actions to design and market their social media platforms to attract youth." At more than 90 pages, the suit offers extensive citations in support of its claims, including surveys showing a 30% increase from 2009 to 2019 in the number of Seattle Public Schools students who said they felt "so sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more in a row that [they] stopped doing some usual activities." GeekWire overnight contacted the district for further comment on its suit, and each of the companies for their responses. We'll update this story as we hear back. Meta, the parent of Facebook and Instagram, has said in response to lawsuits by parents that it has implemented a series of tools and safety measures for teens and families using its services. While the Seattle lawsuit focuses primarily on the mental health impact of social media, it comes as school districts and other public institutions move to ban TikTok from their devices due to privacy and security concerns. We are aware of a national social media trend on TikTok challenging threats of school violence on Dec. 17. While there is no evidence of a specific threat at any of our schools, SPS Safety and Security is closely tracking these incidents in partnership with Seattle Police Dept. -- Seattle Public Schools (@SeaPubSchools) December 17, 2021 Seattle Public Schools, with more than 49,000 students and 106 schools, is the largest K-12 school system in Washington state. This is the latest example of the district challenging U.S. corporate giants. * SPS in 2019 was among thousands of organizations and institutions that filed lawsuits against JUUL Labs over its marketing of e-cigarettes to youth. The company announced a global settlement of those cases last month. * The district also filed a friend-of-the-court brief in Gonzalez v. Google, in which the family of an American citizen killed in an ISIS attack seeks to hold YouTube liable for allowing the group to spread its message. Currently under consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Gonzalez case will test whether Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act should shield social platforms from legal liability for content posted by others. In the suit filed Friday, the district anticipates and seeks to pre-empt Section 230 defenses by the social media companies, saying the law doesn't apply to their own actions in promoting and recommending harmful content. Seattle-based law firm Keller Rohrback, which represented the district in the JUUL lawsuit and filed the brief on its behalf in the Google case, also represents SPS in the new suit against the social media giants. The lawsuit cites President Joe Biden's statement in his 2022 State of the Union address that "we must hold social media platforms accountable for the national experiment they're conducting on our children for profit." The suit says the school district "brings this action to do just that." [4f1412d0] GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop is a business and technology journalist who covers topics including Amazon, Microsoft, and startups. He also hosts GeekWire's weekly podcast. Twitter: @toddbishop. Email: todd@geekwire.com. Contact him via phone, (530) 230-3439, or encrypted messaging app Signal, 1-206-300-0265. Share 65 Tweet Share Reddit Email * Previous Story Point72's venture capital arm sees big opportunities in the Pacific Northwest * Next Story Microsoft, OpenAI, ChatGPT ... and Bing? 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