In detailing the lawsuit, officials argued that the apps have been designed to be addictive -- especially when targeting youth -- and likened the impact to that of the opioid crisis.
"We want our damages. We want reimbursement and we want them to knock it off," he said.
District Attorney Matt Weintraub said that he supported the lawsuit because it's time to protect children from the harms of social media. He called the lawsuit a"David versus Goliath" situation, because of how large these apps are and the sweeping impact they have had on the lives of youth throughout the community.
"I can't tell you how many times I've been asked or besieged by parents who just don't know where to turn because their children are suicidal or they suffer from anxiety or depression," the district attorney said."And this phenomenon, I think, corresponds with the advent and propensation of social media that has targeted our youth."
His office presented the lawsuit, claiming that the companies that own these apps -- namely Meta, Google, Snap and others -- have violated the state's public nuisance laws and Pennsylvania's unfair trade practices and consumer protection act. But, most of all, when asked to explain why they decided to bring forth a lawsuit against these social media companies -- when some might say it's a parent's responsibility to monitor their children's online activities -- Bucks County commissioner, Gene Girolamo, said that even the most engaged parent can't protect their kids from these companies' practices.
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