Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram are addictive and have “reprogrammed” the way children learn, educators say.

Four major school boards in Canada 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 boards, which are seeking approximately $2.9 billion (four billion Canadian dollars) in damages, said the social media platforms were “negligently designed for compulsive use.” [and] have reimagined the way children think, behave and learn.”

Students are experiencing “an attention, learning, and mental health crisis due to the prolific and compulsive use of social media products,” the boards said in a statement. declarations THURSDAY.

The lawsuits were filed separately but all named as defendants Meta Platforms Inc, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram; Snap Inc, which operates Snapchat; and TikTok parent company ByteDance Ltd.

“The influence of social media on today’s youth in school cannot be denied,” said Colleen Russell-Rawlins, director of education at the Toronto District School Board, Canada’s largest school board. and one of four involved in the lawsuits.

“This leads to widespread problems such as distraction, social withdrawal, cyberbullying, rapid escalation of aggression and mental health problems. It is therefore imperative that we take steps to ensure the well-being of our young people,” she said in the statement.

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

Several studies have shown that platforms like Facebook and Instagram can be addictive and their prolonged use can lead to 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 the platforms can lead to lack of sleep and cut them off from their friends and their family.

According to a statement from the surgeon general last year, up to 95 percent of children 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 young 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 a camera – rather than a content feed – and does not have traditional public likes or comments,” the spokesperson said. reported by CBC News.

“While we always have more work to do, we’re pleased with the role Snapchat plays in helping close friends feel connected, happy, and prepared to face the many challenges of adolescence.”

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

“Let’s focus on the fundamental values ​​of education. Let’s focus on math, reading and writing, that’s what we need to do: put all the resources into the children,” he said. told journalists.

“Let’s focus on the kids, not this other nonsense they’re trying to fight in court.”