The lawsuit alleges excessive exposure to social media can lead to suicide and other forms of self harm in children.
Google, TikTok, Snapchat and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, are defendants in the case.
The Western School Board voted to join the lawsuit Tuesday. Joining the lawsuit makes Western eligible for compensation if the court finds in the plaintiff's favor or if there is a settlement.
"It's more of the fact that the mental health and well being of our students have been impacted by this," said Superintendent Mark DuBois.
The case is similar to the class action lawsuit Western joined against Juul, the electronic cigarette manufacturer.
The group who led the lawsuit against the e-cigarette company is also behind the social media litigation.
An attorney for the law firm representing the plaintiffs said the lawsuit is meant to pressure social media companies to make changes.
The lawsuit will test if social media websites and their algorithms — the function that determines how social media posts appear on one's timeline — can be considered products, and if so, if companies can be held liable for those products causing harm.
The federal government has also weighed in on the impact of social media on children.
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called on legislators, technology companies and families to better understand the harms of social media and to create a safer environment online for children in an advisory he issued in May.
Northwestern School Corporation joined the lawsuit last month.
The case is in the early stages, and it's unclear how much money plaintiffs could receive. The lawsuit includes schools across the country.
The area schools that joined the Juul lawsuit — Kokomo, Northwestern and Western — are set to receive between $30,000 and $90,000, following a settlement.
©2023 the Kokomo Tribune (Kokomo, Ind.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
