Ont. school boards are trying to knock down the social media giants. Do their cases stand a chance? [Video]

They were reckless and malicious, manipulating the brain neurochemistry of young students, getting them hooked on social media platforms, and, in doing so, causing widespread damage and disruption to the education system.

These are just some of the, as of yet, unproven allegations, made by four Ontario school boards in their recently filed statements of claim filed against social media giants Meta Platforms Inc., Snap Inc. and ByteDance Ltd, which operate the platforms Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok respectively, seeking $4.5 billion in total damages.

The lawsuits, possibly the first of their kind in Canada, could take years to litigate, involve dozens of experts, thousands of documents and cost lots and lots of money.

And they may also encounter significant legal challenges. 

“I do think there are a number of hurdles they’re going to face,” said Josh Nisker, an injury malpractice lawyer based in Toronto.

Nisker, as both a parent and lawyer, said he does believe social media companies need to …