Social Media Sued for Mental Health Harm

0:00It's March 26th. This is Vancouver News today, your AI-powered local news. This week, two major U.S. civil lawsuits succeeded against social media companies, Mehta and Alphabet's Google. A jury in California ruled they were negligent in designing apps like Instagram and YouTube that harm young people's mental health. The case centered on a 20-year-old plaintiff who said the platform's worsened her depression and led to suicidal thoughts, requiring treatment. She won six million U.S. dollars in damages, though the jury didn't say the apps cost her issues outright. She also settled separately with TikTok and Snapchat for undisclosed amounts, both Mehta and Google planned to appeal the decision. Experts see this as a shift away from blaming parents or kids alone for app overuse. They compare the addictive designs to cigarettes in the past, calling for health groups to push back harder, much like the fight against Big Tobacco. In Canada, four big Ontario school boards are suing Mehta, Snapchat, and TikTok over

1:01similar harms to students learning and well-being with more. Joining and seeking billions in changes. Our recent U.S. study of nearly 12,000 kids showed more social media time predicts worse mental health a year or two later, proving a link. Canadian courts recently rejected the company's move to dismiss those cases, and lawyers there are watching the U.S. wins closely for ideas. These rulings could force tech firms to redesign apps and add safeguards for kids, while programs like Roger's Screambrick push for less screen time. Overall, as awareness grows, expect more pressure on everyone from parents to platforms to tackle the risks head-on.