Canada's four main school boards have filed lawsuits against some of the world's largest social media companies, alleging the platforms are disrupting student learning and creating heavy addiction among children.

The school board, which is seeking approximately $2.9 billion (four billion Canadian dollars) in damages, said the social media platform was “negligently designed for compulsive use.” [and] has changed the way children think, behave and learn.

Students are experiencing “attention, learning and mental health crises due to their prolific and compulsive use of social media products,” the board said in a statement. statement THURSDAY.

The lawsuits were filed separately but all identify Meta Platforms Inc as a defendant; Meta is the parent company of Facebook and Instagram; Snap Inc, which runs Snapchat, and TikTok parent company ByteDance Ltd.

“The influence of social media on today's generation of young people in school is undeniable,” said Colleen Russell-Rawlins, director of education at the Toronto District School Board, Canada's largest school board and one of four individuals involved in the pursuit.

“This leads to widespread problems such as distraction, social withdrawal, cyberbullying, a rapid increase in aggression and mental health problems. “Therefore, it is very important for us to take measures to ensure the well-being of our younger generation,” he said in the statement.

The three other school boards involved in the lawsuit are the Peel District School Board, the Toronto Catholic District School Board and the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.

Some studies show that platforms like Facebook and Instagram can be addictive and that long-term use can cause anxiety and depression.

In May 2023, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said: “There is growing evidence that social media use is associated with harm to the mental health of young people. »

Murthy said children are exposed to violent and sexual content on social media platforms, as well as bullying and harassment, and their exposure to such platforms can lead to sleep deprivation and separate them from their friends and family.

According to a statement from the surgeon general last year, up to 95 percent of young people ages 13 to 17 reported using social media, while a third reported using social media “almost constantly.”

“We are in the midst of a national youth mental health crisis, and I fear that social media is a significant driver of this crisis – a crisis that we urgently need to address,” Murthy said.

Thirty-three U.S. states also sued Meta last year, alleging its products caused mental health problems in children and adolescents.

Meanwhile, in Canada, a Snap Inc spokesperson told Canadian media that Snapchat was intentionally designed to be different from other platforms.

“Snapchat opens directly to the camera – not a content feed – and has no public likes or comments,” the spokesperson said. reported by CBC News.

“While we still have work to do, we're excited about Snapchat's role in helping close friends feel connected, happy, and ready to tackle the many challenges of adolescence.”

Asked about the lawsuit at a news conference Thursday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he disagreed with the school board's efforts.

“Let’s focus on the core values ​​of education. “Let's focus on math, reading and writing, that's what we need to do: provide all the resources to children,” he told reporters.

“Let’s focus on the kids, not the other bullshit they want to fight in court.”