A lot is going on in the world of social media that could finally force tech giants to make some major changes to curb addiction in children. The biggest thing happening is a landmark social media addiction lawsuit that’s now underway. Google and Meta’s Instagram are named in the suit, moving forward. Before those two, TikTok and Snapchat were also defendants, but both companies settled for undisclosed sums, according to AP.
At the heart of the case is a 19-year-old, identified by the initials “KGM,” whose case could determine how thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies proceed. KGM and two other plaintiffs have been selected for bellwether trials to see how this all plays out. Jury selection for KGM’s suit began during the first week of February, and it’s the first time the aforementioned companies will argue their case before a jury. The outcome could have profound effects on how tech platforms handle child usage.
“This was only the first case; there are hundreds of parents and school districts in the social media addiction trials that start today, and sadly, new families every day who are speaking out and bringing Big Tech to court for its deliberately harmful productions.” Sacha Haworth, executive director of the nonprofit Tech Oversight Project, told AP.
KGM claims that using social media at an early age got her addicted to technology and caused depression and suicidal thoughts. The lawsuit claims this was done through deliberate design choices that make platforms more addictive to children to boost the user base and subsequently profits.
If successful, this argument would be a workaround to the companies’ First Amendment shield and Section 230, which protects tech companies from liability from content posted on their platforms. Big Tech executives are expected to testify at the trial, which will last six to eight weeks. Experts have drawn similarities to the Big Tobacco trials that led to a 1998 settlement where cigarette companies had to pay billions in health care costs and restrict marketing that targeted minors.
Tech companies dispute claims that their products harm children. It’s important because studies are emerging about the negative impacts of social media on children. It’s correlated with worsening mental health across the board, but especially in adolescents and young adults.
What should be even more impactful in the decision to keep children off social media is the fact that many tech executives won’t even allow their children to be on the very product that they created. That should send a clear message to the rest of us to keep our children off these platforms. We can limit screen time, talk with them about the dangers of social media, and, what may be most effective, have conversations with other parents and even make pacts with them to keep them off social media or away from technology until they reach a certain age.
We are in the early stages of having entire generations of children growing up with social media, but we’ve had enough time to see what it can do, and parents must be vigilant, even if it means limiting their own screen time around children so they don’t pick up habits. News of these impending lawsuits raises more awareness and more policy discussions about how parents can keep their children safe.