The company “Meta” concluded a settlement in a lawsuit filed by a school district in the US state of Kentucky, in which it accused its social media platforms of contributing to the deterioration of students’ mental health.
This case is the first of its kind, and it was considered an indication of the possibility of expanding the scope of similar cases, as the plaintiffs believe that the use of social platforms contributed to increasing psychological pressures on students, which negatively affected the educational environment and forced schools to deal with additional repercussions.
In a comment from the company, a Meta spokesman told Gizmodo that the case was resolved amicably, stressing that work is continuing to develop safety tools for teenagers, such as dedicated accounts that help protect minor users, in addition to providing parental control tools to support families.
Multiple reports and studies indicate that the algorithms of social media platforms, and their design that promotes continuous interaction, may be associated with negative effects on the mental health of adolescents, which has prompted a number of governments to tighten their regulatory measures in this area.
According to Reuters, the details of the settlement are still unannounced, while thousands of similar lawsuits continue against companies operating social platforms around the world.
