become successful adults,
Public schools in Seattle, in the USA, are suing social networks, claiming that they are responsible for worsening the students’ mental health crisis.
The lawsuit, against the biggest technology companies was opened on the 6th of January, where the Seattle Educational System, which has more than 49 thousand students and 106 schools, claims that they have directly interfered in the ability of the education system to exercise its educational function.
The companies sued are Meta Platforms (owner of Facebook and Instagram), Alphabet (parent company of Google), Snap (Snapchat) and ByteDance (TikTok).
In the lawsuit it is said that they create products with the purpose of hooking young people to the platforms, which have resulted in worsening mental breakdowns. Therefore, the lawsuit aims to hold companies accountable for the harm caused to young students, with the aim of mitigating the negative consequences.
In 2021, a former Facebook executive denounced the company for failing to protect children from harmful content on social media.
“I believe that Facebook products harm children, accentuate polarisation and weaken our democracy. The company’s leadership knows how to make Facebook and Instagram more secure, but they will not make the necessary changes because profit was placed above people,” said Frances Haugen, in her testimony to the United States Senate.
At the Universal Church, we have a dedicated group of volunteers that help mentor pre-teens, ages between 11 and 14 years old. Meeting at least twice a week the Universal Teen Force (UTF) group aims to help young people build confidence and balance to fulfill their goals and become successful adults.
If you are interested and would like your child to participate in these meetings, you can contact our helpline for more info on: 020 7686 6000 or visit your local Universal Church uckg.org/addresses
