Native nations take on Big Tech in name of teen mental health

Two U.S. tribal nations are taking on Big Tech. The Spirit Lake Tribe in Los Angeles and Menominee Tribe in Wisconsin filed a lawsuit against Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Google and YouTube. The plaintiffs claim that these platforms are preying on their youth, contributing to high suicide rates among Native American teens.

The tribes said that Big Tech purposefully hooks teens and keeps them glued to their screens with addictive design mechanisms. Advocates said that Native American teens are especially vulnerable to the negative health effects of these platforms. These habits, the tribes claim, led to an increase in teen suicide.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Native American teen youth have a markedly higher rate of suicide in their communities, up to four times the youth suicide rates as other demographics.

Spirit Lake’s chairperson said “endless scrolling” is “rewiring the brains of our teenagers.”

The plaintiffs argue that these social media platforms are dumping a massive burden on tribal communities, already dealing with scarce mental health care access and historical traumas.

The lawsuit aims to force platforms to change the design choices, particularly those which contribute to addictive behaviors in teens. The plaintiffs also want great accountability from social media companies to safeguard the mental well-being of Native American youth.

According to the Pew Research Center, virtually all U.S. teens use social media. Around one-sixth of teens report their social media use to be “almost constant.”

It’s not just tribes taking action, a growing number of U.S. school districts, states and cities are pursuing lawsuits against Big Tech. In Congress, a bipartisan group of senators is pushing the Kids Online Safety Act, requiring platform design changes to prevent harm to children’s mental health. The tech industry opposes the bill and the American Civil Liberties Union has raised censorship concerns.

Google responded to the lawsuit by the two tribes, stating that the allegations “are simply not true.”