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Arkansas sues YouTube, accuses platform of harming kids’ mental health

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Arkansas sues YouTube, accuses platform of harming kids’ mental health


Arkansas has filed a lawsuit against YouTube and parent company Alphabet, alleging the platform has contributed to a mental health crisis facing the state’s youth.

The lawsuit, filed by Attorney General Tim Griffin in Arkansas state court, accuses YouTube of violating state laws on deceptive trade practices and public nuisance. The state argues that the platform’s addictive nature has forced Arkansas to spend millions of dollars on mental health services for its youth.

The lawsuit also asserts that YouTube exploits children’s dopamine responses by feeding them harmful content. “YouTube amplifies harmful material, doses users with dopamine hits, and drives youth engagement and advertising revenue,” the lawsuit says. “As a result, youth mental health problems have advanced in lockstep with the growth of social media, and in particular, YouTube.”

While the lawsuit does not specify the amount of damages sought, Arkansas is asking the court to require YouTube to fund prevention, education and treatment programs aimed at curbing excessive social media use among children.

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In response, Alphabet’s Google denied the lawsuit’s claims, with spokesperson Jose Castaneda saying: “Providing young people with a safer, healthier experience has always been core to our work. In collaboration with youth, mental health and parenting experts, we built services and policies to provide young people with age-appropriate experiences, and parents with robust controls. The allegations in this complaint are simply not true.”

The Arkansas lawsuit claims YouTube’s algorithm steers children toward harmful adult content and that the platform facilitates the spread of child sexual abuse material.

According to YouTube, it requires users younger than age 17 to get their parents’ permission before using the site, while accounts for users younger than 13 must be linked to a parental account. However, it is possible to watch YouTube without an account, and kids can easily lie about their age.

Newsweek reached out to YouTube via email for comment on Monday.

An iPad with the YouTube logo is pictured on an Apple MacBook Pro. Arkansas has filed a lawsuit against YouTube and its parent company, alleging the platform has played a role in a mental health…


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Monday’s lawsuit comes after Arkansas also enacted a law requiring parental consent for minors to create new social media accounts, though that measure has been blocked by a federal judge.

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The suit is part of a broader movement by state and federal lawmakers to hold social media platforms accountable for their impact on young users. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy this year called for warnings on social media platforms similar to those required on cigarette packaging, highlighting the potential harm to children’s mental health.

Alongside TikTok, YouTube is among the most popular platforms for children and teens, but it has faced criticism for hosting content that promotes gun violence, self-harm and eating disorders.

In response to these ongoing concerns and criticisms, YouTube in June updated its policies to restrict videos showing firearm modifications and homemade weapons, with these videos now limited to users age 18 and older.

This article includes reporting from the Associated Press.

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OPINION | ROBERT STEINBUCH: Intent matters | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

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OPINION | ROBERT STEINBUCH: Intent matters | Arkansas Democrat Gazette


Robert Steinbuch

Robert Steinbuch, the Arkansas Bar professor at the Bowen Law School, is a Fulbright Scholar and author of the treatise “The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.” His views do not necessarily reflect those of his employer.



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Arvest Bank warns customers about video call banking scams in Arkansas

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Arvest Bank warns customers about video call banking scams in Arkansas


LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A new scam is popping up on screens, and banks say it’s catching people off guard.

Arvest Bank is warning customers about an increase in fraud involving unsolicited video calls that appear to be from financial institutions. The calls often begin with a text, email or phone call urging immediate action.

A spokesperson reported that scammers may claim there is suspicious activity or a technical problem, then push victims to join a video call through FaceTime or another platform, and once connected, they try to get customers to share their screen while logging in to accounts, entering passwords, or moving money.

“Scammers are always finding new ways to steal money, and that now includes video calls,” said Erin Gray, Arvest’s director of Integrated Account Protection.

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Arvest urges customers to be cautious of urgent, unexpected requests, especially those asking to watch account activity in real time. The bank advises hanging up and calling back using a verified number, avoiding screen-sharing with strangers and checking accounts regularly for unusual activity.

Anyone who believes they’ve been targeted is encouraged to contact their bank and report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.FTC.gov.



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Arkansas Department of Agriculture proposes rule changes on feral hogs, catfish processors | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

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Arkansas Department of Agriculture proposes rule changes on feral hogs, catfish processors | Arkansas Democrat Gazette


Cristina LaRue

clarue@adgnewsroom.com

Cristina LaRue covers agriculture for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. She started her career as a journalist in 2017, covering business and education for the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, later covering the crime and courts beats near the U.S.-Mexico border for the USA Today network, and education for the El Paso Times. She is a graduate of Texas State University.

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