DeKalb County schools' lawsuit against social media companies moves forward as landmark trials begin
The DeKalb County School District's lawsuit against major social media companies is moving forward as the first of several landmark trials over alleged youth social media addiction begins in California.
DeKalb County Schools is among dozens of school districts nationwide suing Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube, accusing the companies of fueling what the district has described as an "unprecedented mental health crisis" among students. The case is part of a sweeping federal multidistrict litigation that alleges social media platforms were deliberately designed to be addictive to children and adolescents.
Court records show DeKalb's lawsuit argues that the companies' algorithms, notifications, and engagement tools have worsened anxiety, depression, and behavioral issues among students — forcing school systems to divert millions of dollars toward counseling services, social-emotional learning programs, and classroom interventions to counter distraction and addiction.
Tech companies push back
In court filings, attorneys for the social media companies have asked a federal judge to dismiss DeKalb's claims, arguing the district cannot prove a direct causal link between social media use and the harms it alleges.
The defense maintains that rising counseling costs, disciplinary issues, and property damage cited by the district could stem from broader social factors — not the platforms themselves.
Lawyers also argue that schools are not owed a legal duty to be warned about risks associated with social media use and that many of the alleged harms involve third-party conduct protected under federal law.
National spotlight intensifies
The legal battle escalated this week as opening statements began in one of the first social media addiction trials in Los Angeles County Superior Court — a case that legal experts say could shape the future of lawsuits like DeKalb's.
Advocacy groups backing the plaintiffs say the trial marks a turning point in holding tech companies accountable for youth harm.
"This was only the first case — there are hundreds of parents and school districts in the social media addiction trials that start today," said Sacha Haworth, executive director of the nonprofit Tech Oversight Project, according to an Associated Press report.
Judges overseeing the California trial have instructed jurors not to alter their social media habits during deliberations, emphasizing that liability must be decided independently for each company involved.
Why it matters in DeKalb County
Locally, DeKalb school leaders argue the impact is already being felt inside classrooms. The district has invested heavily in mental health services, digital safety training, and staff time to manage what it says are the downstream effects of social media addiction, including disengagement, discipline challenges, and rising emotional distress among students.
While the district acknowledges that social media can have educational uses, the lawsuit contends that the platforms' core design choices have blurred the line between learning and addiction, reshaping how students focus, interact, and learn.
What's next
U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who is overseeing the nationwide multidistrict litigation in federal court in California, is expected to rule on pending dismissal motions in the coming months.
If DeKalb's case survives, it could move into discovery and potentially trial, a step that would allow school districts to seek internal documents and testimony from some of the world's largest technology companies.
Legal experts say the outcome could set a precedent for whether — and how much — responsibility tech companies bear for the mental health and disciplinary costs shouldered by public schools across the country.
Editor's Note: This story will continue to be updated as rulings are issued in DeKalb County School District v. Meta Platforms, Inc., et al., part of the federal multidistrict litigation on social media and adolescent harm.
