The Columbus City Schools board voted to join a lawsuit against social media giants like Google and Meta, saying the platforms have harmed the youth the school serves.
At the Sept. 8 meeting, the board voted unanimously to join the "Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Products," which seeks damages against companies like Meta, Instagram, Snap, TikTok and Alphabet (the parent company of YouTube and Google), arguing their platforms are designed to be addictive and maximize screen time.
The case, which was first filed in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of California in 2022, now has hundreds of school districts
and thousands of personal claims represented in the lawsuit.
Board President Antoinette Miranda told The Dispatch that it was a "no-brainer" to join the lawsuit after seeing the damage social media has caused children since the pandemic.
"That is the only way you can hold people accountable for the negativity of social media and what it's doing to our kids," Miranda said.
There is emerging research that social media can be harmful and addictive to children. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, children and teens who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of mental health problems, including experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Joining the lawsuit will not cost Columbus City Schools any money, Miranda said.
There is a potential for payouts. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, settled in August for nearly $17 billion with plaintiffs to resolve claims brought by states across the country that the company designed Facebook and Instagram to addict children, misled consumers about their safety, and improperly collected personal data of children who used its platforms, USA Today reported.
In March, the first trial over an individual’s claims against Meta and Google ended with a verdict in the plaintiff's favor after a Los Angeles jury found the companies liable for a plaintiff's depression and anxiety and ordered them to pay a combined $6 million in damages.
The companies have said they will appeal those verdicts.
Cole Behrens covers K-12 education and school districts in central Ohio. Have a tip? Contact Cole at cbehrens@dispatch.com or connect with him on X at @Colebehr_report
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: CCS joins lawsuit against tech giants alleging social media harm
