Boston sues major social‑media firms over minors' mental‑health harms

The city of Boston and its public‑school system filed a federal lawsuit in the Northern District of California against Meta, Snap, TikTok and YouTube. The complaint alleges the platforms deliberately target children with features designed to create addiction, contributing to a surge in mental‑health problems among students. Boston cites a 2024 health‑commission report showing persistent sadness among 44 % of high‑schoolers in 2021 versus 27 % in 2015, and says schools have had to expand social‑worker and psychologist staffing.

The suit seeks to hold the companies liable for “negligent” conduct, demand removal of “addictive” functions such as constant notifications and age‑verification failures, and request compensation for the city’s mental‑health support costs. Mayor Michelle Wu said, “Las empresas de redes sociales tienen pruebas del daño que causan a nuestros niños… Hoy dejamos claro que las empresas de redes sociales deben poner fin a las prácticas abusivas y rendir cuentas.” The action joins a nationwide effort backed by more than 1,500 school districts, while Massachusetts lawmakers consider restrictions that would ban social‑media use for children under 14 and require parental consent for ages 14‑15.