Canadian school boards sue social media for over US$2 billion in damages: Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok named

Products from firms such as Meta and Snap are ‘negligently designed’ and have ‘rewired the way children think, behave and learn’, school boards said
The Canadian lawsuit has also named TikTok, the short-video social media platform from China’s ByteDance

Canada

Reuters

Published: 12:46am, 29 Mar 2024

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Four Canadian school boards have sought more than C$4 billion (US$2. billion) in damages from social media firms such as Meta Platforms and Snap in a lawsuit, alleging that their products harmed students.

The products are “negligently designed for compulsive use, have rewired the way children think, behave and learn”, a joint statement by the boards said on Thursday.

That has caused learning and mental health crises in students, resulting in the schools having to invest more in support programmes, they said.

Several studies have shown that platforms such as Facebook and Instagram can be addictive and their prolonged use can lead to anxiety and depression.

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Thirty-three US states had last year sued Meta, accusing its product of causing mental health issues among young children and teenagers.

The Canadian lawsuit has also named TikTok, the short-video social media platform from China’s ByteDance.

The action has been brought on by Toronto District School Board, Peel District School Board, Toronto Catholic District School Board and Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.

More than 1,000 schools are affiliated to the boards. Toronto-based law firm Neinstein LLP is representing them.