San Diego County has sued big tech companies for what it calls the detrimental effects of social media on children and young people, joining a growing nationwide chorus of calls to restrict it.
A lawsuit filed last week accuses the parent companies of Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat of knowingly designing addictive platforms that harm young people’s mental health in order to maximize views and advertising profits, in the process creating a public health and safety crisis and posing a public nuisance.
“The data is clear — social media is designed to be addictive, and it’s harming our kids,” said Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer. “Tech giants know exactly what they’re doing — exploiting young people for profit while refusing to take responsibility.”
Lawson-Remer first put forward the proposal to explore legal action last year. The Board of Supervisors ultimately approved it on a 3-2 vote along party lines in August.
The move comes amid a decline in the mental health of teens and young adults over the last decade, and a rise in the use of social media. A 2023 Gallup survey found U.S. teens spend on average about five hours on it each day.
That same year, Rady Children’s Hospital reported a 30% jump in children experiencing mental-health crises. Young people age 10 to 24 in San Diego County are now twice as likely as any other age group to visit emergency rooms for anxiety, depression or suicidal thoughts, according to county public health data.
The suit alleges that suicidal thoughts and self-harm have skyrocketed since 2010, when social media became nearly universal among teens.
Tara Djordjevic, a senior at University City High School, said she’s seen these impacts firsthand.
“I’ve seen my friends, who are otherwise very high-achieving, goal-chasing students, spiral into anxiety and depression because of the pressure that these platforms create,” said Djordjevic, who also co-chairs San Diego Unified’s Student Wellness Education & Resources Committee.
Like similar lawsuits the county has pursued against gun and opioid manufacturers, Lawson-Remer suggests monetary damages could help fund both county education campaigns and behavioral-health treatment.
Although hundreds of similar lawsuits against social media platforms are pending nationwide, she said San Diego County’s focuses not only on financial penalties but on demanding change, with court-ordered safeguards.
The suit asks the court to require social media apps to stop using “manipulative” engagement features like infinite scroll, autoplay and algorithm-driven rabbit holes that it says exploit young users. It also asks for financial penalties for companies that don’t implement these safeguards.
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