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Native teens are nearly 4 times as likely to commit suicide. Tribes suing Meta, Google, TikTok, and Snapchat say social media addiction fuels the problem.

Business Insider · 1y ago

Medial

Two Native American tribes, the Spirit Lake Tribe and the Menominee Indian Tribe, have filed lawsuits against social media giants, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Meta, and Google. They accuse the platforms of contributing to the high suicide rates among Native teenagers by purposely designing addictive features. The lawsuits seek equitable relief to fund prevention education and treatment for excessive social media use. The tribes argue that the social media companies have exploited the vulnerability of Native youth and are demanding accountability for the negative impacts on mental health. Robbie Kaplan, the attorney filing the suits, states that these companies prioritize profits over the well-being of Native children.