Four major Canadian school boards have initiated legal action against social media platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, alleging that these platforms have disrupted student learning, as announced on Thursday.
Similarly, educational authorities in the United States have also filed lawsuits in recent months, with a Maryland school district suing Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, as well as ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, for their perceived role in exacerbating a “mental health crisis” among young people. This marks the first such lawsuit in Canada.
The Toronto and Ottawa school boards each filed separate claims with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, seeking a minimum of Can$4 billion (US$3 billion) in damages from the companies responsible for the popular apps, including Meta, Snap, and ByteDance. Additionally, they have called on these companies to revamp their apps to mitigate addictive tendencies.
The Toronto District School Board accused the social media companies of negligently designing and marketing addictive products that are altering students’ cognitive processes and behaviors, leading to significant issues with attention, focus, social withdrawal, cyberbullying, and aggressive behaviors.
Likewise, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board highlighted the detrimental effects of excessive social media usage on students’ attention, learning, and mental health, attributing it to a strain on school resources, including increased demands for mental health programs, IT infrastructure, and administrative support.
TikTok
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 teenage mental health. However, the law has also sparked concerns regarding potential encroachments on free speech rights online.
Source: guardian.ng
