Canadian school boards sue social media giants over student learning disruption

Four of Canada's largest school boards have taken legal action against social media giants Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, alleging that these platforms are disrupting student learning, as disclosed on Thursday.

Following in the footsteps of their counterparts in the United States, who have initiated similar lawsuits in recent months, including a Maryland school district's lawsuit against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, as well as TikTok's parent company ByteDance, for their perceived role in exacerbating a "mental health crisis" among young people, this marks the first such legal move in Canada.

The Toronto District School Board and one in Ottawa, among others, have filed separate statements of claim with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, seeking a combined minimum of Can$4 billion (US$3 billion) in damages from the companies behind the widely used apps; Meta, Snap, and ByteDance. Additionally, they have called upon these tech giants to revamp their apps to reduce addictive qualities.

Accusing the companies of negligently designing and marketing addictive products that have "rewired the way that (students) think, act, behave, and learn," the Toronto District School Board highlighted significant concerns regarding student attention and focus. Educators have also raised alarms over social media's role in fostering social withdrawal among students, as well as its contribution to increased incidents of cyberbullying and aggressive behaviors.

"The prolific and compulsive use of social media products is contributing to an attention, learning, and mental health crisis among students," stated the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, emphasizing the strain placed on resources, including the need for enhanced in-school mental health programming and personnel, heightened IT costs, and additional administrative resources.

These legal actions in Canada coincide with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signing a law on Monday that restricts social media access for minors under 16, citing concerns over the platforms' impact on teen mental health. However, the law has sparked apprehension regarding its potential implications for curtailing free speech online.

Source: AFP