The DeKalb County School District’s lawsuit against major social media companies is moving forward as the first of several landmark trials over alleged youth social media addiction begins in California.
DeKalb County Schools is among dozens of school districts nationwide suing Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube, accusing the companies of fueling what the district has described as an “unprecedented mental health crisis” among students. The case is part of a sweeping federal multidistrict litigation that alleges social media platforms were deliberately designed to be addictive to children and adolescents.
Court records show DeKalb’s lawsuit argues that the companies’ algorithms, notifications, and engagement tools have worsened anxiety, depression, and behavioral issues among students — forcing school systems to divert millions of dollars toward counseling services, social-emotional learning programs, and classroom interventions to counter distraction and addiction.
Tech companies push back
In court filings, attorneys for the social media companies have asked a federal judge to dismiss DeKalb’s claims, arguing the district cannot prove a direct causal link between social media use and the harms it alleges…