Social networks have revolutionized the way we communicate and relate to others. More and more children and adolescents, for years, use platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok to connect with your friends and see what your idols and role models are up to.
However, as more and more young people are immersed in the digital world, concerns are also being raised about the impact this can have on their physical and mental health.
For example, a study carried out by the University of Oxford found that the excessive use of social networks can negatively affect the mental health of children and adolescents, including symptoms of anxiety, depression and low self-esteem.
This is partly due to the pressure to look perfect and lead a seamless life online, as well as exposure to violent or inappropriate content. Also, excessive use of social networks can interfere with sleep and physical activity, which can have a negative impact on the physical health of young people.
Similarly, social networks can also have positive effects on the health of children and adolescents. For example, in some cases they provide a platform for connection and support, especially for those who have a hard time making friends in the real world. They can also be a useful tool for learning and staying informed about the world around us.
Schools sue Big Tech for ‘mental damage’
For district schools Seattlein the United States, the negative effects of the networks are worse than the positive ones and, in this line of thought, they filed a lawsuit against the so-called “Big Tech”.
They allege that these companies are responsible for the worsening mental health crisis among students and that their digital products directly affect the ability of schools to carry out their educational mission.
The lawsuit, filed on Friday, January 6, against Alphabet, Meta Platforms (Facebook, Instagram), Snap Inc (Snapchat) and ByteDance (TikTok), says they purposely designed their products to attract young people to their platforms and that they are creating a mental health crisis scenario.
In response, Alphabet said that Google has invested heavily in creating “safe experiences for children” on its platforms and that it has introduced “strong protection systems and specially dedicated features to prioritize the well-being” of those people.
Snap, meanwhile, defended itself by explaining that the network works closely with numerous mental health NGOs to exchange tools and resources that seek the well-being of those who are part of Snapchat,
The lawsuit claims that the actions of the targeted companies have been a “substantial factor” in the cause of a “Youth Mental Health Crisis”.
“Defendants have successfully exploited the vulnerable brains of young people, drawing tens of millions of students into positive feedback loops of overuse and abuse of Defendants’ social media platforms,” the text of the lawsuit states.
According to the court filing, students with mental health problems perform worse, forcing schools to take measures such as training teachers to identify this problem and extra resources than usual to warn students about the network danger.
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages and other penalties to Big Tech.
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