New York City is suing several social media networks, claiming that the designs of their platforms exploit the mental health of young users and cost the city $100 million annually in related health programs and services.

In the lawsuit filed against TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and YouTube, New York City said these platforms are responsible for a slight increase in mental health issues among youth, including depression and suicidal thoughts.

The lawsuit states that these issues impose a "significant burden on cities, school districts, and public hospital systems that provide mental health services to youth.

The lawsuit comes shortly after social media platform executives faced tough questions from lawmakers during recent congressional hearings about how their platforms steer younger users—especially teenage girls—toward harmful content, damaging their mental health and body image.

An increasing number of families have filed lawsuits against social media companies, along with U.S. states and municipalities, due to the alleged impact on their children's mental health. But during a press conference held Wednesday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said, "New York City is the first major American city to take joint steps of this scale and clearly and directly expose the danger of social media, just as the Surgeon General did with tobacco and smoking."

New York City said it is seeking financial compensation and equitable relief to fund preventive education and mental health treatment.

The city also released a social media action plan highlighting how it plans to hold social media companies accountable, provide education and support to youth and families, and study the long-term effects of social media on young people.

A Snap spokesperson told CNN that the platform is "intentionally designed to be different from traditional social media," focusing on helping users connect with close friends and through directly opening the camera rather than a content feed.

The spokesperson said, "While we will always have more work to do, we are proud of Snap’s role in helping close friends feel connected, happy, and ready while facing many adolescent challenges.

Meanwhile, Meta—the parent company of Instagram and Facebook—said it offers more than 30 tools and features to support them and their parents.

A company spokesperson said, "We have spent a decade working on these issues and hiring people who have devoted their careers to keeping young people safe and supported online."

TikTok and YouTube did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Last month, Mayor Adams described social media as a "public health danger" and an "environmental toxin" during his State of the City address. The lawsuit also relies on last year's Surgeon General warning that social media poses a "substantial risk of harm" to children.

Announcing the action plan, Adams said he is increasingly concerned about the "dangerous" and "addictive" features affecting young people's lives.

He said, "Instead of talking to each other during lunch in the cafeteria, they are drawn to their screens." "Instead of playing in the park with friends, they are inside on a sunny day, clicking and scrolling. And instead of learning confidence and resilience, they are exposed to content that often leads to insecurity and depression."

He added that suing these companies is "a bold move on behalf of millions of New Yorkers" to hold these companies accountable for their role in this crisis.

However, in the United States, it is very difficult to sue social media platforms due to a 28-year-old federal law called "Section 230," which states that technology companies cannot be held liable for content posted by users on their platforms.

In contrast, under the European Union's Digital Services Act, companies can be sued for up to six percent of their global revenue if they violate the law.