08:00 AM EDT, 10/09/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) units Google ( GOOG ) and YouTube ( GOOG ), Meta Platforms ( META ) , Snap (SNAP) and TikTok owner ByteDance were sued by New York City on Wednesday in a federal US court for allegedly fueling a youth mental health crisis by addicting young people to social media.

The complaint accuses the social media companies of designing addictive features such as algorithmic feeds, incessant notifications and infinite scrolling to maximize engagement at the expense of young users' mental health.

These features have allegedly led to rising levels of anxiety, depression, eating disorders and self-harm among young users while straining public health and school resources, according to the complaint filed by New York City, the New York Department of Education, and New York City Health and Hospitals.

The lawsuit seeks to hold the companies liable for gross negligence and public nuisance, and seeks damages, among other demands.

A Google ( GOOG ) spokesperson told MT Newswires that the allegations are "simply not true" and that YouTube ( GOOG ) is a streaming service, not a social network.

"We've also developed dedicated tools like Supervised Experiences for young people, guided by child safety experts, that give families control," the spokesperson said.

Meta Platforms ( META ) and Snapchat did not immediately respond to MT Newswires' request for comment.