Volusia County Schools is one of at least 12 districts in Florida and 650 nationwide that are suing Meta, the parent of Facebook and Instagram, as well as other social media companies, alleging they have done harm to children’s mental health and burdened educators.

Social media companies’ addictive algorithms have contributed to a decline in mental health, and districts are having to hire more people and create new policies and plans, as a result, the suit argues, and schools need to be compensated.

“What we’ve heard from (Volusia) and districts across the country is in the past 10 years, they’ve been dealing with the impact of social media on their campuses,” William Shinoff, one of the lawyers who represents Volusia County and other districts, said in a recent interview. “It’s been a disruption to the learning environment.”

Tiktok, Snapchat, YouTube and the Meta platforms have hooked teens, leading to an increase in anxiety, depression, eating disorders and suicide, Shinoff said.

How school districts are left to pick up the pieces

Other personal injury cases brought by families and individuals are also being brought against the social media giants. Shinoff said his firm, Frantz Law Group of San Diego, is handling some of the school district filings in U.S. District Court of Northern California, near the Facebook and YouTube headquarters.

“The largest harm is with children, but which public entity is responsible for helping with the children? It’s schools, so we believe this is the most appropriate plaintiff,” he said.

Volusia County Schools officials, including the board chair, board attorney, superintendent and general counsel, would not comment on why Volusia joined the lawsuit. The school board voted unanimously to join the suit on March 28, upon the recommendation of Superintendent Carmen Balgobin.

The Volusia lawsuit – like others – claims not just that social media companies are a public nuisance, but that they have been negligent on matters such as enforcing age requirements, while also violating the RICO Act.

RICO – or Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations – is the same law used by feds to bring down organized crime, and the means by which Fulton County Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis is attempting to convict former President Donald Trump and 18 others, alleging they schemed to overturn the 2020 election.

The lawsuit alleges the social media companies have engaged in racketeering and fraudulent business dealings by misleading the public on the mental-health dangers for youth users and withholding their own research on the matter, as well as claiming they don’t market to children and teens while manipulating their sites to cause more excessive engagement.

Although the complaint was filed in April, the defendants have not yet responded or made any motions to dismiss.

Hooking users through brain rewards

There are 15 defendants, each affiliated with the major platforms used by young people: Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

Those sites “have maximized the time users – particularly minors – spend on their platforms by purposely designing, refining and operating them to exploit the neurophysiology of the brain’s reward systems to ensure users come back frequently, and remain on the respective platforms for as much time as possible.”

The suit cites a Harvard University study showing social media exploits “the same neural circuitry” as “gambling and recreational drugs to keep consumers using their products as much as possible.”

Nine in 10 children between the ages of 13 and 17 use social media, the suit states. And 38% of children ages 8 to 12 used social media in 2021.

Moreover, minors’ brains are not fully developed, leaving them susceptible to being manipulated by the sites.

The suit calls the defendants’ misconduct “a substantial factor resulting in a youth mental health crisis,” including increased anxiety, depression, thoughts of self-harm and suicidal ideation.

In May, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released an advisory on social media and youth mental health.

“While social media may offer some benefits, there are ample indicators that social media can also pose a risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents,” he wrote.

And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a steady and then accelerated increase in almost every category of risk for mental health disorders even before the pandemic, between 2011 and 2021, as YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat grew in popularity.

Those sites’ algorithms make children more vulnerable to cyberbullying and criticism, the suit claims.

“Defendants’ design, advertising, marketing and operation of their social media platforms and products target minors, and that these platforms are intentionally and deliberately designed to exploit and cause minors to become addicted, which has caused harm (to the plaintiffs).”

A 29-year-old DeLand man was charged in 2020 with using this fake Snapchat profile to sexually batter a 13-year-old girl.

Of the all social media defendants, just one responded to requests for comment. A Snapchat communications official provided a statement.

“Snapchat was designed differently from other social media platforms because nothing is more important to us than the well-being of our community,” the statement reads.

The Snapchat app encourages communication between “real friends” by opening to a camera, rather than a feed that “encourages passive scrolling,” the company states.

Roy Balleste, professor of law and director of the Dolly & Homer Hand Law Library at Stetson University, called the school boards’ suit “interesting” as comes from the nexus of technology and mental health.

“This lawsuit may force legislators to take a closer look and perhaps modify federal laws to deal with the problem,” said Balleste, whose expertise includes internet governance.

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, in an appearance in DeLand on Aug. 9, told The News-Journal it’s been “frustrating that Congress has failed to act in regulating social-media companies.

“There’s been a lot of bills proposed. We haven’t gotten anything done yet,” Scott said. “I’m hoping we can get something done in the next few months.”

Volusia’s new restrictions on phone usage

In Volusia County Schools, a new policy requires students in middle and high schools to turn off ringers and stow their phones away in bookbags or purses during instructional hours. The policy comes on the heels of the Legislature’s unanimous passage of House Bill 379, co-sponsored by Rep. Tom Leek, R-Ormond Beach, which also requires districts to instruct students on social, emotional, and physical effects of social media.

Jessica McIntyre, coordinator of mental health services for Volusia County Schools, said the new policy has worked well thus far.

“I know that the teachers, the staff … they notice more students walking through the hallways with purpose. They are able to socialize, where they weren’t really doing that,” McIntyre said.

Jason Wheeler, a spokesman for Flagler County Schools, said that district has not filed suit against the social media firms and has no plans to do so.

Other Florida school districts involved in lawsuits against social-media companies include Bay, Broward, Citrus, Lee, Liberty, Madison, Okeechobee, Orange, Pinellas, Sumter and Walton. Shinoff expects the list to grow.

Bay County School Board Attorney Franklin Harrison has spoken with school boards around the state about the lawsuits.

In May, he cited a saying to the Orange County School Board: If the product is free, then you are the product.

“Our kids become the product of these companies and they sell it,” Harrison said. “They make a lot of money.”

Cathleen Brennan, a spokesperson for Broward County Schools, said as a rule, district officials do not comment on pending litigation, but she provided information from the district’s general counsel explaining why they filed the suit.

The summary notes that incidences of depression and suicide are among the factors defining the mental health crisis Broward County youths face, while social media platforms amplify “harmful divisive material” to maximize ad revenue.

“The dangerous effects of defendants’ conduct on Broward County’s youth and schools cannot be ignored,” according to the Broward schools’ attorneys. “These social media giants can and should take measures to stem the tide of the mental health crisis afflicting America’s social media-addicted youth.”

Social media companies have long sidestepped lawsuits by citing Section 230, part of the U.S. Code that was enacted as part of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The act was designed to kickstart the internet economy and largely provided companies like Facebook and Snapchat immunity for user-generated content.

Getting school districts funding to provide mental health resources for their students is one part of what the plaintiffs are asking, Shinoff said.

Resolution: Volusia County Schools, teachers union settle contract

“Unfortunately for them now, that doesn’t solve the problem. Money is a band-aid. We are also seeking to change the business practices and policies of these companies so we can stop what’s going on, and make these platforms safer for children,” he said. “At the end of the day, we know social media is not going away.”

After Franklin’s presentation, the Orange County School Board voted to join with other districts in becoming plaintiffs.

“I’m very excited about this litigation,” Harrison said. “I think it is righteous. I think there’s a lot of money being made and there’s a lot of harm, and school boards are dealing with this every day. Hopefully we can get some accountability and maybe we can get some controls.”

Heat Days: When is it too hot for recess and PE? What the Volusia County Schools system says

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Volusia district sues social-media giants Facebook, TikTok, YouTube

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The widespread and growing popularity of dating apps goes hand in hand with the increasing dependence people have on mobiles and technology. Now, you can spark relationships via the tool in your pocket, and potentially change your whole life.

While the potential reward of dating apps is a known factor, not enough is said about the harmful impacts they can have on users’ mental health. We’ll explore what some of these negatives are alongside potential remedies to help reel you back from the pitfalls that lurk therein.

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Image Credit: Julia Tim/Shutterstock

Previously, relationships would form from a local web of connections linked to family, neighbors, friends, and work. Sparks would form in person as partners-to-be would cross paths. Now, dating apps provide, via a selection of photos and info, more sources of potentially acknowledged romantic interest or rejection than ever before.

This impacts people in a key area: their desire for social validation.

The desire for social validation is a natural drive that makes you feel good when you feel approval. Some theories state it to be a survival instinct to avoid abandonment. In each stage of your life, the pains and travails of life may rip from you the love or validation you naturally seek from the few that matter to you.

This can create a dangerous need to fill a lack of validation with a temporary excess of it from external sources. And dating apps, in this case, can have the same effect that slot machines have on gambling addicts.

You may end up craving multiple likes and superficial relationships more than developing a connection with a single match. The unspoken rejections could also be fuel for the parts of you that are your own greatest critic.

To reduce the impact likes and notifications have on you, consider switching off most of your device’s notifications. In so doing, you are defending yourself in the contemporary battle for our attention. The potential for love and meaning lies next to harmful negative spirals, all of which now lies at the tips of your swiping fingers.

Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

It’s undeniable that a spark of attraction is necessary in every romantic relationship. Dating apps make the most of this and center upon photos as the principal form of judgment.

This encourages a focus on superficial qualities as the be all end all. Frequently, notions of personality and relationship compatibility are ignored. What’s more, this system of values that idolizes appearance promotes the creation of profiles that are essentially marketing ads.

While not judging a book by its cover reminds you to look beyond a seemingly simple cover, the inverse is to be cautious of the manicured, perfect-looking covers. Certain profiles will try to sell you their superficial image, and beyond the cover lies a different picture. Here, the absence of your local web of connections as a buffer and source of information on your potential partner is felt.

Just like in whichever field of marketing, there are marketing specialists in dating apps—experts at marketing themselves. Physical and social gratification are addicting to some. If it’s appearances that are guiding your choice of partner, walk with care.

If you find yourself caught in a feedback loop of validation- or gratification-seeking, do not fret. Just as technology can silently mislead you into short-term pleasures and pitfalls, it can also be the tool that connects you with the profound and lasting.

The Calm Within the Dating App Storm

You may find it hard to notice whether you’re engaging with dating apps in a way that is beneficial or harmful to you. Frequently, it can be a mix of both. To help you find a good balance between dating app usage and your mental health, here are three apps with potential remedies.

1. Insight Timer

Insight Timer offers you over 70,000 free guided meditations to help you tune out excessive mental noise and connect to the moment. You also have the option for a paid subscription with additional features.

The practice of meditation can help out your process of reflection, and can be done in as little as a few minutes. Think of the short time you spend practicing such an exercise as a direct investment in yourself. Rather than paying attention to your screens, you are paying attention to yourself.

These exercises can help you take a step back and observe the thoughts and impulses that come to you without judgment. In such a calm internal space, you can better identify if some form of addictive behaviors or needs draws you to dating apps.

This process isn’t something you can complete on the first try. It is an ongoing process of refining your inner gaze to see past your own constructions and illusions of self. If you find that seeing your phone is a trigger for addictive behaviors tied to dating apps, check out our guide on the best ways to reduce screen time.

Once you have identified an impulse (such as a desire for social or physical gratification via dating apps), consider how much it impacts your life. If your mental health is suffering, or you find yourself incapable of long-term relationships, try sharing how you feel with a therapist. You can also look into our guide on how to use technology to help improve your mental health.

2. BetterHelp

BetterHelp provides an easily accessible platform via a mobile app or online website through which you can benefit from qualified and licensed therapists. Just as dating apps have become easier than ever to access from the little computer in your pocket, you can also access resources like therapy easily that profoundly help your overall well-being.

BetterHelp can connect you with therapists specialized in a variety of areas, and lets you choose the kind of counselor you are most comfortable with (e.g. their gender and age).

3. Meetup

Dating apps can be great tools that let you meet people you wouldn’t be able to otherwise. But don’t forget: they aren’t the only way to meet like-minded souls.

Give yourself a break from dating profile marketing ads and combine the best of both worlds.

Use the Meetup app or website to find a wealth of in-person activities, ranging from sports to dancing, games to poetry. You can also form your own group activity if you so desire. Make the most of the opportunity to share your interests with others.

Take a leap of faith and dive into an activity you like without expectations. Special connections and friendships may form therein.

Find a Healthy Balance in Your Search for a Spark

The natural human drives for short-term validation and gratification are powerful factors that can influence your use of dating apps. If you’re not careful and attentive, you can easily fall into negative spirals that damage your mental health.

Try some quick meditation exercises to help you reflect, and consider the benefits of sharing and therapy. Then, dive into in-person activities where connections can be made. In this manner, you’re both protecting your well-being and nourishing your chance and ability to find healthy and sustainable relationships.

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Mentally ill detainees on Rikers Island and in other city jails have become more likely to deliberately hurt themselves in recent years, data obtained by the Daily News shows.

Incidents of self-harm in better-staffed Rikers Island units for mentally ill detainees made up 65% of all such incidents in the jails in December, the figures show.

In all there were 154 incidents of self-harm in the jails in December, with 100 of them taking place in mental health units on Rikers. The overall number of self harm incidents in December exceeded the 110 incidents reported in January 2022 by 40%.

In all there were 154 incidents of self-harm in the jails in December, with 100 of them taking place in mental health units on Rikers Island, the figures show. (Todd Maisel/New York Daily News)

In June, some 79 of 176 reported self-harm incidents occurred in mental health units — an amount equal to 45% of such incidents.

Meanwhile, data produced by Correction Health Services and the Department of Correction from injury reports shows overall incidents of self-harm in the jails rising since 2019.

In 2022 through August, the average monthly rate of self-harm incidents among all jail detainees was 30.4 per 1,000.

That was up 34% from the monthly self-harm rate in 2020 of 22.7 per 1,000 detainees, and up 6% from the monthly self-harm rate of 28.7 detainees per 1,000 recorded in 2021.

The upward trend occurred even though the city Board of Correction issued an unusual public statement expressing concern in September 2021.

The statement noted there were five suicides between December 2020 and that September had an “alarming” increase in self-harm incidents. There was one additional suicide in October 2020.

And there were six more suicides in 2022.

The number of incidents of self-harm in better staffed specialized mental health units in the city jails in December reached 63% of all such incidents in the system, figures obtained by the Daily News show. (ShutterStock)

Topping a list of four jails assessed by the city Board of Correction to have the highest rates of self-harm was Rikers’ West Facility, where detainees are held in “extreme isolation for medical and security reasons.”

West was one of the jails implicated in the Walker v. City of New York class action lawsuit involving detainees held in excessive isolation that was settled for $53 million last week.

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Two other Rikers Island jails — the George R. Vierno Center and Robert N. Davoren Center — have had the highest rates of emergency lock-ins, where detainees are locked in their cells for extended periods. And the Anna M. Kross Center has the most mental health beds.

DOC officials did not reply to requests for comment on the increasing trend.

The number of incidents of self-harm in better staffed specialized mental health units in the city jails in December reached 63% of all such incidents in the system, figures obtained by the Daily News show. (Todd Maisel/New York Daily News)

Close to 45% of the city’s jail population has some kind of diagnosed mental health condition. Extrapolated to the jails’ estimated population of 5,951 detainees on April 1, that means about 2,678 detainees have mental health problems.

But altogether, the jails’ mental health units contain just a few hundred beds.

Julia Solomons, a senior policy social worker with Bronx Defenders, said the mental health units offered by the jail system are “woefully short” of the need.

“Because of that scarcity, only the most actively unwell people are able to be in those units,” she said. “We are working with a population that probably shouldn’t be in a carceral setting at all. But no matter where they are being housed, their needs just aren’t being met.”

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