The Princeton Public Schools has joined the growing list of school districts suing social media companies over their impact on students’ mental health.
The school board approved a resolution to hire the law firm of Wilentz Goldman & Spitzer to sue social media companies Meta Platforms Inc.; Facebook Holdings LLC; Snap Inc.; TikTok Inc.; and Alphabet Inc. and other parties that create, design and market social media platforms.
“This is really wonderful,” said school board president Dafna Kendal of the “bunch of school districts around the country pursuing litigation against (social media companies).
“Our concern is that the proliferation and widespread access to – and use of – social media among public school students has expanded dramatically.”
The Seattle Public Schools filed the first lawsuit against the social media companies in 2023, and now more than 200 school districts have signed onto the litigation, according to published reports in Education Week.
The resolution adopted by the Princeton Public Schools states that the widespread use of social media among public school students has led to significant risks of anxiety, depression, thoughts of self-harm and suicidal ideation.
Princeton Public Schools students have been part of that phenomenon by using social media in school and on school grounds, in addition to using it at home, the resolution said.
Students’ use of social media has resulted in the school district incurring costs in the form of staff time, disciplinary proceedings, emotional and social counseling, medical services and other costs, it said.
“Those costs will only increase ‘unless and until students’ use of social media is reduced or the social media platforms reform their practices in attracting students,” the resolution said.
Now that it is aware of the lawsuits, the school board decided that it would be to its advantage to participate by filing a lawsuit for monetary and non-monetary damages, according to the resolution.
“By passing this resolution, we are authorizing School Business Administrator Matthew Bouldin and our lawyers to involve us in this lawsuit,” Kendal said.
School district officials have talked for years about social media’s impact and the additional counseling services for students and the additional crisis management, she said.
“We are all trying to do our part and maybe it’s time for social media companies to do their part, as well,” Kendal said.
