Fighting for Our Families
Renowned psychologist Dr. David Mace said,
“Nothing in the world could make human life happier than to greatly increase the number of strong families.”
Richard Schechter agrees. He believes that strong families can be a source of unconditional love as well as emotional, financial, and educational support. Strong families are the essential building blocks of our society because they play a critical role in the nurture and development of our children. And when bad things happen to our children as they grow up, we all feel the effects in the future.
As a parent and grandparent, Richard Schechter personally understands the sanctity of families. He is convinced that threats to our children’s health and wellbeing should be fought at every opportunity, and he is actively fighting two of the greatest threats to our children’s mental health today: social media and video games.
Pushing Back Against Harmful Social Media Algorithms
The Surgeon General of the United States has warned that “We are living in the middle of a youth mental health crisis,” which he defines as the “Public health challenge of our time.” Social media is a major contributor to that crisis.
In the digital era, social media platforms have transformed the way we connect, becoming an integral part of teenage life. But these digital spaces also harbor hidden dangers that can have devastating impacts on the mental health of our youth. One of these hidden dangers is social media algorithms.
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Social media companies make money primarily through ads and by selling user data. Revenues depend on exposure: the longer someone is on social media, the more ads they will see. To keep users on their platform, social media companies employ algorithms to feed users customized content. This content entices users between the ages of 12 and 17 to remain on platforms longer, which increases exposure to:
• Age-inappropriate content;
• Unrealistic lifestyle standards;
• Cyberbullying; and
• Potential predators.
The consequences of social media algorithms have been catastrophic. Excessive usage has been linked to:
• Depression;
•Anxiety;
• Sleep disorders;
•Attention problems; and
• In some instances, suicide.
Social media is especially harmful to teenage girls, causing additional problems, including exposure to sexual predators and body-image issues.
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Richard Schechter, P.C. is actively engaged in the fight to protect our children and help families recover monies from social media defendants for the devastating consequences of platform algorithms.
Representing families from around the United States, Schechter is involved in the litigation, currently concentrated in California, against a variety of social media defendants, including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat.
But Richard Schechter's work isn't just about individual cases; it's about driving systemic change. Schecter's legal efforts are designed to both hold these corporations accountable and promote more ethical algorithm designs to protect the mental well-being of teenagers and children.
Combating Video Game Addiction
In addition to being a popular pastime for adults, 90% of our children play video games. What could seem more innocuous than playing games? In reality, video gaming addiction is a problem that plagues an estimated 5 million American children. A study published in 2009 by a professor at Iowa State University estimated that nearly 1 in 10 of our youth between the ages of 8 and 18 are addicted to video games. This addictive design has serious implications for young users, and Richard Schechter has taken a stand against it.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared “Gaming Disorder” to be a mental health condition, and there is now a diagnostic code for Gaming Disorder in the International Classification of Diseases. The WHO describes gaming addiction as, “A pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behavior, which may be online or offline, manifested by impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other life interests and daily activities, and continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences.”
Video games can lead to dependence the same way that drugs do. The Mayo Clinic describes the biological mechanism: “The reward center in the brain releases dopamine in response to a pleasurable experience or hyperarousal. If a person experiences hyperarousal while playing video games, the brain associates the activity with dopamine. The person develops a strong drive to seek out that same pleasure again and again.”
Video gaming addiction has been linked to serious mental health issues, especially in our youth, including:
• Depression;
• Anxiety;
• Withdrawal;
• Sleep problems; and
• Rage.
Some video game developers employ business models based on addictive game mechanics and microtransactions that exploit vulnerable players, especially children. Further, evidence has shown that gaming addiction may cause changes in some areas of the brain.
As with the social media epidemic, Richard Schechter, P.C. is actively engaged in the fight to protect our children and help families recover monies from video gaming defendants for the devastating consequences of the designs of their products.
Representing families from around the United States, Richard Schechter, P.C. is pursuing claims against a number of manufacturers of video games and the platforms that host those games.
Through meticulous legal strategy and a deep understanding of exploitative practices such as in-app purchases, Schechter works to ensure that these companies are held responsible for their actions and that measures are put in place to prevent such harm in the future.
A Lifelong Pursuit of Justice
Whether it's combating social media companies and their insidious algorithms or challenging video game companies that employ addictive game design, Richard Schechter's goal is to protect families everywhere.
As we look to the future, Richard Schechter will continue to advocate for the safety and well-being of our children. His fight is not just legal; it is based on his sense of moral responsibility to ensure that every child grows up in a safe and healthy environment. His goal is not only to obtain justice for those who have been harmed but also to set a precedent that will help safeguard our families and communities.
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For more information about Richard Schechter's work and to explore his other notable cases, please visit our Meet Richard and Our Work pages.