Telecom
New York Sues TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and other Social Platforms over Youth Mental Health Crisis
New York City, its schools, and public hospital system have announced a lawsuit against the tech giants that run Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube, blaming their “addictive and dangerous” social media platforms for fueling a childhood mental health crisis that is disrupting learning and draining resources.
The lawsuit is filed in the California Superior Court, stating the social applications are purposefully designed to be addictive to children and teenagers. The suit follows the Health Commissioner’s Advisory that DOHMH Commissioner Dr Vasan issued last month, citing the continued use of social media as a public hazard. The advisory calls for parents, healthcare providers, and more to take action.
“Over the past decade, we have seen just how addictive and overwhelming the online world can be, exposing our children to a non-stop stream of harmful content and fueling our national youth mental health crisis,” said Mayor Adams in a press statement.
“Our city is built on innovation and technology, but many social media platforms end up endangering our children’s mental health, promoting addiction, and encouraging unsafe behaviour.
“Today, we’re taking bold action on behalf of millions of New Yorkers to hold these companies accountable for their role in this crisis, and we’re building on our work to address this public health hazard. This lawsuit and action plan are part of a larger reckoning that will shape the lives of our young people, our city, and our society for years to come.”
NYC H+H Chief of Behavioral Health and Co-Deputy Chief Medical Officer Omar Fattal, MD, MPH added, “We must maximize our efforts to support the mental health needs of children and adolescents by providing families with tools and resources that foster healthy development.
“This includes robustly addressing the negative impact of social media on the mental health of children and adolescents. We join the mayor and DOHMH in encouraging all young people and their families to consider their use of social media and how it may be negatively affecting them.”
The country’s largest school district, with about 1 million students, has had to respond to disruptions in and out of the classroom, provide counselling for anxiety and depression, and develop curricula about the effects of social media and how to stay safe online, according to the filing.
The city spends more than $100 million on youth mental health programs and services each year, Mayor Eric Adams’ office said.
“Over the past decade, we have seen just how addictive and overwhelming the online world can be, exposing our children to a non-stop stream of harmful content and fueling our national youth mental health crisis,” Adams said.
The legal action is the latest of numerous lawsuits filed by states, school districts, and others claiming social media companies exploit children and adolescents by deliberating designing features that keep them endlessly scrolling and checking their accounts.
Teenagers know they spend too much time on social media but are powerless to stop, according to the new lawsuit, filed by the city of New York, its Department of Education, and New York City Health and Hospitals Corp., the country’s largest public hospital system.
The lawsuit seeks to have the companies’ conduct declared a public nuisance to be abated, as well as unspecified monetary damages.
In responses to the filing, the tech companies said they have and continue to develop and implement policies and controls that emphasize user safety.
“The allegations in this complaint are simply not true,” said José Castañeda, a spokesman for YouTube parent Google, who said by email that the company has collaborated with youth, mental health, and parenting experts.
Vitel Wireless, a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), which recently made history as the first operator in Nigeria to be allocated a mobile number series by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is set to launch operations this quarter.
This is sequel to announcement by Wireless Technology Labs (WTL) that t has built the network of Vitel Wireless, and enabled overseas roaming, in preparation for Vitel’s launch.
Vitel Wireless, which is headquartered in Lagos, was licensed by the NCC in 2023 and will be the country’s first MVNO.
Its launch is set to shake up Nigeria’s telecoms market with Vitel offering an alternative to the services of the country’s four major operators—MTN, Airtel, Globacom and 9Mobile.
Vitel’s network will go live in Nigeria’s major cities first and then expand nationwide.
Pricing will be competitive for basic services like voice, SMS and data and Vitel will also focus on value added services like location-based services (LBS) and IOT.
Vitel Wireless is building Experience Centres in Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Kano and Nigeria’s other major cities where customers can purchase SIM cards.
In addition, Vitel is building a distributor network with SIM cards available through retail channels and online subscriptions using eSIMs.
WTL has already completed the integration of Vitel’s infrastructure with the network of a major MNO and has also enabled international roaming using its proprietary advanced core systems.
This means that Vitel will be able to launch as soon as the NCC approves its network and operational model.
Kenneth Nwabueze, CEO of Vitel Wireless, said “We are going to be offering innovative solutions beyond what the big four operators who have dominated Nigeria’s telecoms market are currently offering. We are investing heavily in our operations, and our work with WTL will enable us to launch in Q2, 2025”.
WTL, which is headquartered in Belgium, has been active in Nigeria and across Africa for more than 20 years working with operators of all sizes to rollout both urban and rural networks. Its work has garnered widespread recognition and industry awards.
WTL has already enabled the networks of two of the 46 new MVNOs licensed by the NCC, and recently announced that it is working with Nigeria’s first Mobile Virtual Network Enabler (MVNE) which is constructing new mobile network infrastructure to provide capacity for emerging MVNOs through its Platform as a Service (PaaS) model.
Mr. Satya Mekala, CEO of WTL, said, “I congratulate The NCC for licensing new operators to improve competitiveness, increase rural coverage and drive the adoption of digital services including Fintech, Edtech, Agriculture, IOT and more. I further thank Vitel for giving us the opportunity to showcase our advanced core technologies and wish them great success in becoming the first ever MVNO in Nigeria”.
ipNX, Nigeria’s leading information and communications technology company and connectivity provider is collaborating with the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) to explore opportunities for further growth and development policy alignment in support of the Federal Government of Nigeria’s broadband penetration and digital transformation agenda.
The company recently visited NCC at it Abuja office to strengthen the collaborative relationship between both institutions.
The delegation from ipNX, which was led by Ejovi Aror, group managing director, was received by Dr Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman/chief executive officer, Nigeria Communications Commission.
During the visit, the discussions focused on the current state of internet access in Nigeria, the myriad of challenges being faced by service providers, including but not limited to vandalism of key infrastructure and right of way, as well as the regulatory landscape.
The engagement highlighted the shared vision of both institutions to bridge the digital divide and empower Nigerians through reliable and affordable internet connectivity.
As a leading player in Nigeria’s ICT sector, ipNX reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to the realisation of the National Broadband Plan, which aims to achieve 70% broadband penetration this year.
With over two decades of pioneering innovation within the sector, the company has consistently demonstrated resilience across different economic cycles without compromising quality of service and affordable pricing.
Commenting on the visit, Aror, stated, “Our engagement with the Nigeria Communications Commission is a positive step towards shaping the future of telecommunications in Nigeria. At ipNX, we believe that active collaboration with regulators and other key stakeholders is critical to achieving the development targets outlined in the National Broadband Plan. We are proud to continue playing a pivotal role to drive broadband penetration and ensure that every Nigerian, irrespective of their location, has access to the transformative power of the internet.”
The meeting also emphasised the importance of policy alignment and regulatory frameworks that enable innovation, investment, and sustainable growth in the telecommunications sector.
As Nigeria continues to make strides in its digital transformation journey, ipNX stands ready to leverage its expertise, infrastructure, and partnerships to support the realisation of the government’s broadband penetration objectives.
The company remains dedicated to empowering individuals, businesses, and communities through cutting-edge technology and unparalleled connectivity solutions.
Truecaller, the popular caller identity app, announced that it surpassed 450 million users earlier this week, expanding it’s global reach.
The company added 50 million users in the past 10 months, including 15.5 million since the beginning of 2025.
Leadership Changes and Market Expansion
India remains Truecaller’s largest market, a factor reflected in the company’s recent leadership decision.
Following the decision of its co-founders to step back from daily operations last year, Truecaller appointed Rishit Jhunjhunwala, previously the Chief Product Officer and MD of India operations, as the new CEO.
While India continues to be a key market, Jhunjhunwala noted that the company is seeing rapid growth in other regions.
“We are proud that we now serve more than 450 million users globally. As before, we continue to see steady growth in our largest market, India, but the fastest relative growth is in markets outside of India.
“So far in 2025, we see strong growth trends in Latin America, South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Malaysia, and the US,” Jhunjhunwala wrote in a blog post.
Regulatory Challenges in India
Despite its dominance in India, Truecaller faces potential challenges as the country’s telecom department pushes for mobile carriers to implement a government-backed caller ID system.
This move could introduce competition to Truecaller’s services in one of its most crucial markets.
Financial Performance and Market Position
Truecaller maintained an active user base of nearly 430 million throughout Q4 2024. The company reported strong financial results for the quarter ending in December, with:
Net sales increasing by 23% year-over-year
Profit after tax rising by 29%
Stock price up more than 33% year-to-date
Product Enhancements and AI Integration
Earlier this year, Truecaller improved its caller ID functionality for iOS, overcoming previous limitations imposed by Apple’s operating system.
The company has also been expanding its offerings beyond caller identification by introducing:
Call recording and transcription features
An AI-powered assistant for call screening
Enhancements to its SMS and chat functionalities
With these advancements, Truecaller aims to solidify its position as a comprehensive communication platform while navigating competitive and regulatory challenges.
Vitel Wireless, Nigeria’s First MVNO to Launch Operations This Quarter
FG Asks World Bank for Fresh $10.50m Loan to Enhance CBN Technical Capacity
CSO Seeks Stronger Data Protection in Justice System
ipNX Partners NCC to Deepen Broadband Penetration
Truecaller Surpasses 450m Users, Expands Global Reach
News3 days agoNIPSS Projects Petrol Prices to Hit ₦750/Litre Before Year’s End!
E-Financial3 days agoFidelity Bank Reports N385.2Bn Pre-Tax Profit for 2024
E-Business3 days agoNIMC Says NIN Mandatory to Government Loans
General News3 days agoFinancial Cyberthreats Report Reveals 3.6Ttimes Surge in Mobile Banking Malware
News3 days agoFG to Create 1m Technology Jobs – Minister
E-Financial3 days agoNew Investment Law Empowers SEC to Obtain User Data from Telcos
E-Business3 days agoAfrica’s Data Workers are Being Exploited by Foreign Tech Firms – Report
E-Financial3 days agoPonzi Operators Risk 10-Year Jail Term, N20m Fine – SEC