Ontario school boards sue social media giants

Four of Ontario's largest school boards have launched lawsuits against the parent companies of Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat and TikTok alleging the social media platforms are disrupting student learning.

The lawsuits claim the platforms are negligently designed for compulsive use and have rewired the way children think, behave and learn, leaving teachers and schools to manage the fallout.

The allegations in the lawsuits filed in Ontario Superior Court have not been proven.

The school boards suing are the Toronto District School Board, the Peel District School Board, the Toronto Catholic District School Board and the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.

They are seeking damages for disruption to student learning and the education system.

Meta Platforms Inc. owns Facebook and Instagram, while Snap Inc. owns SnapChat and ByteDance Ltd. owns TikTok.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 28, 2024.