Spokane County Explores Potential Legal Action against Meta, TikTok, and other Platforms
Spokane County’s elected officials gathered on Monday to discuss the possibility of joining ongoing litigation in California against various social media companies due to the negative impact their platforms have on children.
Two representatives from the Beasley Allen Law Firm in Alabama provided a briefing to the Board of County Commissioners regarding the litigation. If the officials choose to take part, Spokane would be the first county in the state to join, alongside numerous other plaintiffs.
According to Attorney Jennifer Emmel, the legal action against Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, and Meta (which includes Facebook and Instagram) was initiated two years ago. The mass tort claim alleges that the companies place a higher value on advertising revenue than on the welfare of their users.
According to Emmel, the absence of age verification, parental controls, and guardrails on these platforms is resulting in an experience that is causing addiction, anxiety, suicidal depression, and other negative effects.
“Looking at the county point of view, it affects kids in schools, but [social media] also affects [the county] from a public health perspective in general,” she said.
According to Emmel, the increasing influence of social media necessitates the allocation of more counselors, hotlines, emergency medical services, and other expensive resources. Typically, the burden of funding these resources falls on the county or state level. However, if the lawsuit is won or settled, Spokane could potentially secure the necessary funding for these resources.
In a recent essay for the New York Times, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy proposed the implementation of warning labels on social media platforms, drawing a parallel with tobacco products. According to him, it is important for federal legislation to prioritize the protection of children on social media and ensure that platforms do not accumulate sensitive data.
The essay chronicles the extensive series of congressional hearings that began in 2021, initiated by a former Meta employee who blew the whistle to Congress. According to his statement, the platform acknowledged the issue of children developing addiction and the harm it causes, despite their efforts to boost user engagement.
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Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, appeared before Congress in January to provide testimony. During this testimony, he rose from his seat and directly addressed the families affected by his platform, expressing sincere apologies for the harm caused to their children.
Commissioner Mary Kuney expressed concern over the impact of social media on the county’s expenses. Spokane Public Schools, the largest district in the area, has recently implemented a new policy regarding cell phones. High schools are now required to ban cell phone use during class, while middle and elementary schools have completely prohibited their use. The decision to enforce this policy was influenced by the surgeon general’s essay.
“There’s no financial risk for the county to participate in [the] litigation other than the time that might be involved if the case is selected,” Attorney Joseph VanZandt said.
The commissioners will discuss and make a decision on whether to participate in the litigation during an upcoming meeting.
