TORONTO.- CFour of the largest school boards in the Canadian province of Ontario announced Thursday that they have filed lawsuits against TikTok, Meta and SnapChat alleging that the social media platforms are affecting student learning.
The lawsuits note that platforms like Facebook and Instagram are “designed for compulsive use, have reconfigured the way children think, behave and learn” and teachers have had to manage the consequences.
Meta Platforms Inc. owns Facebook and Instagram; SnapChat is owned by Snap Inc. and ByteDance Ltd. owns TikTok.
Dozens of US states, including California and New York, are also suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people and contributing to a youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that make that children are addicted to their platforms.
The Canadian school boards that brought the lawsuit are the Toronto District School Board, the Peel District School Board, the Toronto Catholic District School Board and the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.
They seek damages for the interruption of student learning and the education system.
“The defendants have acted in a high-handed, reckless, malicious and reprehensible manner without due regard for the well-being of the student population and the educational system,” according to a statement from the school boards.
A Snap Inc. spokeswoman, Tonya Johnson, said Snapchat helps its users stay connected with their friends.
“Snapchat opens directly to a camera—rather than a content file—and doesn’t have traditional likes or comments from the public,” he said. “While we will always have more work to do, we are pleased about the role Snapchat plays in helping close friends feel connected, happy and prepared as they face the many challenges of adolescence.”
Representatives for Meta and ByteDance have not immediately responded to messages seeking comment.
Source: With information from AP
