Four Canadian school boards have initiated lawsuits against TikTok, Meta, and Snapchat, alleging that these social media platforms are disrupting student learning.

Four Canadian school boards announced on Thursday that they have individually filed lawsuits in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice against TikTok, Meta, and Snapchat. They seek a minimum of Can$4 billion (US$3 billion or €2.7 billion) in damages from these companies, alleging that the popular apps are causing disruption to student learning.

Additionally, the boards are urging the companies to modify their apps to reduce their addictive nature.

The lawsuits claim platforms like Facebook and Instagram are "designed for compulsive use, have rewired the way children think, behave, and learn," and teachers have been left to manage the fallout.

Rachel Chernos, a trustee for the Toronto District School Board, said teachers and parents are noticing social withdrawal, anxiety, attention problems, cyberbullying, and mental health issues.

"These companies have knowingly created programs that are addictive that are aimed and marketed at young people, and it is causing significant harm, and we just can't stand by any longer and not speak up about it," Chernos said.

"Students are experiencing an attention, learning, and mental health crisis because of prolific and compulsive use of social media products," the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board said in a statement.

Duncan Embury, a lawyer with the firm representing the boards, highlighted a genuine addiction issue stemming from the algorithms designed by these platforms.

Embury stressed the need for proper warnings, adjustments to age parameters, and an increase in resources for school boards to adapt to this evolving landscape.

He further emphasized that companies have intentionally and negligently crafted their products to prioritize the time young people spend on their platforms, disregarding their well-being and education.

Dozens of US states, including California and New York, are also suing Meta Platforms Inc. for allegedly contributing to a youth mental health crisis by intentionally designing features that keep children addicted to its platforms.

This week, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, signed into law a bill banning social media accounts for children under 14 and requiring parental permission for 14- and 15-year-olds. It is set to take effect on January 1 and is expected to face legal challenges.

Social media use among teens is nearly universal in the US and many other parts of the world. According to the Pew Research Center, nearly all teens aged 13 to 17 in the US report using a social media platform, with about one-third saying they use social media "almost constantly."