Social Media Platforms Face $4.5 Billion Lawsuit from Ontario School Boards
Snapchat, TikTok, and Meta are currently facing a $4.5-billion lawsuit from four Ontario school boards. The school boards allege that these social media platforms are negatively impacting students, interfering with their learning, and harming their mental health.
Details of the Lawsuit
- The public boards of Toronto, Peel, Ottawa, and the Toronto Catholic Board have separately filed cases against Snapchat, TikTok, and Meta.
- They are represented by Neinstein LLP in these legal proceedings.
Reasons Behind the Lawsuit
Social media apps are accused of being designed for compulsive use, which has led to a rewiring of how children think, behave, and learn, according to the statements of claim.
Colleen Russell-Rawlins, director of education at the Toronto District School Board, highlighted the mental health challenges, loneliness, and discrimination that stem from social media usage among students.
The statements of claim assert that the negligent conduct of these social media companies has resulted in maladaptive brain development, compulsive use, disrupted sleep patterns, behavioural dysregulation, and other serious issues affecting the school environment.
Legal Action in the U.S.
More than 500 school districts in the U.S. have initiated similar lawsuits against Snapchat, TikTok, and Meta. In a court hearing in January 2024, CEOs of these companies testified about the impact of their platforms on children’s safety online.
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin criticized the platforms for prioritizing engagement and profit over basic safety, putting children at risk. In response to these concerns, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill on March 25 that restricts social media platform usage for children under 14 and requires parental consent for those aged 14 and 15.
