BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Sullivan County Board of Education voted Thursday night to join a lawsuit against social media companies.
The county was invited to join the lawsuit, which was filed by another Tennessee school district against Meta (the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp), TikTok, Snapchat, and others.
According to a law firm involved in the litigation, the lawsuit was filed over the “countless hours” school districts are having to spend addressing issues stemming from social media.
“This is addressing mainly the social, emotional impact of social media companies such as Facebook, TikTok, and others on our youth and their mental wellness,” Director of Schools Chuck Carter told board members.
Carter said joining the lawsuit would benefit students if it ultimately leads to new rules being put in place.
There are no costs for joining the litigation. Attorney’s fees would be deducted from each school district’s cut of the award amount if the lawsuit goes in their favor.
