Ontario school boards clear hurdle in lawsuits against Meta, Snapchat, TikTok [Video]

A group of Ontario school boards said Tuesday its legal fight against Meta, Snapchat and TikTok will proceed after a judge struck down the social media giants’ motion to dismiss the case.

The group said the case can now proceed based on a judge’s ruling that the Toronto District School Board’s lawsuit, which represents all boards, has merit.

Since March 2024, 14 Ontario school boards and individual schools have initiated lawsuits against the social media companies, alleging the platforms are negligently designed for compulsive use and have rewired the way children think, behave and learn. The allegations in the lawsuits have not been proven in court.

“The statistics, if true, and the methods and outcomes of social media on the learning environment reveal broad effects that impact not only the immediate access to the right to an education, but to the futures of many young people,” wrote Ontario Superior Court …