Four of Ontario’s prominent school boards have initiated legal action against social media behemoths TikTok, Meta, and Snapchat, accusing them of disrupting student education. The lawsuits contend that platforms like Facebook and Instagram have been “designed for compulsive use” and have fundamentally altered the cognitive and behavioral patterns of children.
Representatives from Meta Platforms Inc., Snap Inc., and ByteDance Ltd. have yet to respond to the allegations made in the lawsuits.
Simultaneously, several U.S. states, including California and New York, are pursuing legal action against Meta Platforms Inc., alleging that platforms like Instagram and Facebook are exacerbating youth mental health issues by intentionally creating addictive features.
The Canadian school boards involved in the legal action are the Toronto District School Board, the Peel District School Board, the Toronto Catholic District School Board, and the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. Their aim is to seek compensation for the disruptions caused to student learning and the education system.
Duncan Embury, a lawyer representing the boards, expressed that tech giants have negligently crafted their products to prioritize engagement over the wellbeing and education of young people. He emphasized the need for social media companies to be held accountable for the harm inflicted on schools and the broader community.
The pervasive use of social media among teenagers is well-documented, with nearly all teens in the U.S. reporting usage. Concerns about the impact of social media on youth prompted U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy to call for urgent action from tech companies, parents, and caregivers to safeguard children from its harmful effects.