Boston sues Meta, Snap, ByteDance over youth mental health

State of play: The city, which filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Boston Public Schools, accuses the three companies of negligence and public nuisance affecting more than 46,000 students.

• Mayor Michelle Wu's office cited a mental health report that said 44% of BPS high schoolers experienced persistent sadness in 2021, up from 27% in 2015.
• Boston's lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of California, will be consolidated with the complaints of the other school districts that are suing, per Wu's office.

What they're saying: "Today, we are making it clear that social media companies must end exploitative practices and be accountable to standards of basic protection for children," Wu said in a news release.

The other side: "For over a decade, we've listened to parents, worked with experts and law enforcement, and conducted in-depth research to understand the issues that matter most," a Meta spokesperson told WBUR, disputing the allegations.

• "We're proud of the progress we've made, and we're always working to do better."

Zoom out: Meta, which owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, has faced increasing scrutiny after a California jury in March found the company and Google responsible for fueling a young woman's depression and anxiety.

• TikTok and Snapchat, whose parent companies are named in the lawsuit, have also come under scrutiny over their algorithms and other features.

What we're watching: Beacon Hill leaders are negotiating over legislation to impose restrictions on youth social media use.

• Wu said on Boston Public Radio, however, that the lawsuit is meant to make social media giants create their own guardrails for minors.