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City alleges gross negligence, creating public nuisance

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'Subway surfing' deaths attributed to social media

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Google denies accusations about YouTube

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Other defendants not available for comment

By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK, Oct 8 (Reuters) - New York City filed a new

lawsuit accusing Facebook, Google, Snapchat, TikTok and other

online platforms of fueling a mental health crisis among

children by addicting them to social media.

Wednesday's 327-page complaint in Manhattan federal court seeks

damages from Facebook and Instagram owner Meta Platforms ( META )

, Google and YouTube owner Alphabet, Snapchat

owner Snap and TikTok owner ByteDance. It accuses the

defendants of gross negligence and causing a public nuisance.

The city joined other governments, school districts and

individuals pursuing approximately 2,050 similar lawsuits, in

nationwide litigation in the Oakland, California, federal court.

New York City is among the largest plaintiffs, with a

population of 8.48 million, including about 1.8 million under

age 18. Its school and healthcare systems are also plaintiffs.

Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda said allegations concerning

YouTube are "simply not true," in part because it is a streaming

service and not a social network where people catch up with

friends.

The other defendants did not immediately respond to requests

for comment.

A spokesperson for New York City's law department said the city

withdrew from litigation announced by Mayor Eric Adams in

February 2024 and pending in California state courts so it could

join the federal litigation.

DEFENDANTS BLAMED FOR COMPULSIVE USE, SUBWAY SURFING

According to Wednesday's complaint, the defendants designed

their platforms to "exploit the psychology and neurophysiology

of youth," and drive compulsive use in pursuit of profit.

The complaint said 77.3% of New York City high school

students, and 82.1% of girls, admitted to spending three or more

hours a day on "screen time" including TV, computers and

smartphones, contributing to lost sleep and chronic school

absences.

New York City's health commissioner declared social media a

public health hazard in January 2024, and the city including its

schools has had to spend more taxpayer dollars to address the

resulting youth mental health crisis, the complaint said.

The city also blamed social media for an increase in "subway

surfing," or riding atop or off the sides of moving trains. At

least 16 subway surfers have died since 2023, including two

girls aged 12 and 13 this month, police data show.

"Defendants should be held to account for the harms their

conduct has inflicted," the city said. "As it stands now, (the)

plaintiffs are left to abate the nuisance and foot the bill."