Seattle public schools sue social media companies for allegedly harming students' mental health

Seattle's public school system is suing several big tech companies over their students' mental health issues.

In the suit filed Friday the school district accuses the parent companies of platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Youtube of negatively-impacting and exploiting students' vulnerable brains.

The lawsuit cites an increase in youth struggling with anxiety, depression, thoughts of self-harm, and suicidal ideation.

The school district says the youth mental health crisis has impeded its ability to fulfill its educational mission.

An official for Facebook parent company Meta said in a statement that its platforms have more than 30 tools to support teens and families.

The other companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.