Achi news desk-
Since its arrival, social media has become a force and a life-changing feature in the daily lives of many people, especially the youth.
But growing fears about its harm have sparked lawsuits against the social media companies from hundreds of school districts in the United States and now Canada.
In separate but similar statements of claim filed Wednesday, four Ontario school boards accuse Snapchat, TikTok, and Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, of creating products that negligently interfere with student learning and have caused “widespread disruption to the education system. “
According to the school boards, the compensation includes a “significant diversion and drain” on resources and personnel. None of the allegations have been proven in court.
“The influence of social media on today’s youth at school cannot be denied. It leads to pervasive problems such as distraction, social withdrawal, cyberbullying, rapid increases in aggression, and mental health challenges,” said Colleen Russell- Rawlins, the director of education with the Toronto District School Board, said in a news release issued Thursday.
The Toronto District School Board, the Peel District School Board, the Toronto Catholic District School Board, and the Ottawa Carleton District School Board are seeking $4.5 billion in damages. The social media giants did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Are your children addicted to social media? Do you have concerns about their use of social media? How do you manage their use of platforms like Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and X? What is the effect of social media on your children?
CTVNews.ca wants to hear from you. Share your story by emailing us at [email protected] with your name, general location and phone number in case we want to follow up. Your comments may be used in a CTVNews.ca story.
With files from CP24 Web Content Writer Codi Wilson
