Arizona school districts sue social media companies alleging harm to kids

At least 10 Arizona school districts have decided to sue TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat, alleging the social media companies have knowingly contributed to a mental health crisis among their students and forced them to divert resources to address it.

They join hundreds of school districts across the nation that have pursued litigation against the platforms this year. Seattle Public Schools was the first to do so in January, according to Joseph Tann, an attorney representing six Arizona districts.

More than 600 school districts nationwide have sued the social media companies, according to William Shinoff, an attorney representing four Arizona districts.

Though not all of them have filed a legal complaint yet, the Arizona school districts that have decided to retain counsel to sue the social media companies include Tolleson Union, Tempe Union, Tempe Elementary, Kyrene Elementary, Mesa Public Schools, Scottsdale Unified, Paradise Valley Unified, Phoenix Union, Chandler Public Schools and Sunnyside.

The districts are being represented on a contingency basis. That means there is no cost to them unless they win money from the social media companies.

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