A collection of school boards are suing a collection of social media sites for allegedly deliberately hurting students.
That's from the Toronto Star headline, but deliberate harm?? I'm not sure what the lawsuit actually says, and I'm not a lawyer, but I would think that a charge of deliberate harm means they'd have to prove that the companies want to negatively affect students, instead of their motive being to make as much money as possible with harm to kids just a possible side-effect.
But let's keep reading.
The lawsuit from Toronto, Peel, and Ottawa school boards is asking for $4.5 billion because Snapchat, TikTok, and Meta platforms are "designed for compulsive use and have rewired the way children think, behave, and learn."
Absolutely the sites are made to be addictive; that's what makes them so profitable. They use algorithms that can beat a chess master, and a kid's willpower is no match for that. But there are many addictive substances out there that we keep from children ourselves without making companies pay for their role in making a product that everyone wants. Many of the comments on the article ask about the role of parent to just refuse to give their kids phones, and I have to agree that this is a big communal issue. It's like suing Phillip-Morris because teens are smoking. Teens are smoking, just on the other side of the school property line, but I blame our current legislation (which was likely influenced by the companies) that allows kids to smoke. Nobody can sell them cigarettes, but we have to let 14-year olds run out for a smoke between classes. I've been writing about that for years (particularly in July and October, 2013).
I completely agree that phones shouldn't be so accessible during class, but I'm not convinced a lawsuit is the solution. I've taught kids before phones existed and after phones became addictive, and there's definitely a difference in attention span. Phones definitely have a negative effect on their ability to focus on the most engaging lesson. What we see is that everyone's bending to pressures from everyone else and change is hard. Kids beg for phones because everyone else has them, and parents get worn down and give in, trying to set a few rules at first, but then getting slack with that, and suddenly everyone's on their phone at the dinner table. Parents and teachers are not immune to these algorithms. It's just easier, and we're all so tired. Someone's got to act to prevent the longterm costs to kids, but how will a corporation be made to pay for this??
I actually wonder if this is how school boards are trying to get funding now, since the Premier is using our tax money to destroy the greenbelt for an unnecessary highway and to trash a beloved landmark to build a spa (rumoured to become a casino once it fails) and doesn't have enough money left over to appropriately fund schools and healthcare. "The four boards are represented by Neinstein LLP, and will not be out of pocket for legal costs as the firm will take a contingency fee," so they can only gain from this. But it will be a long, slow battle if it holds up at all.
A few people have shared this particular quotation:
"The defendants knew, or ought to have known, that their negligent conduct seriously and negatively impacts the student population by causing maladaptive brain development, compulsive use, disrupted sleep patterns, behavioural dysregulation, learning and attention impairment, and other serious issues that impact the school, learning, and teaching climate."
because it could be equally said of Covid. Phones have an immediate effect on day-to-day learning, for sure, but Covid has long term effects on cognitive ability. But, oh well.
Like Covid, we can get phones out of the school only with a concerted school-wide effort. We need administrators that are able to take the heat from angry parents and students for a few months while the change is implemented, and to be available with strategies in the school, every day, to prevent phones from coming in or prevent their misuse in class, or to back up whatever policy they create. Any new boundaries set always have to be monitored and reestablished repeatedly for a few months. And we need all teachers on board to reinforce the rules. When some teachers let it go, then other teachers become the "mean" ones, and kids and parents see it as a weak link where they can bring in pressure to get teachers to give it a rest already and let kids enjoy their time in class!! In the past, I've seen weak policies suggest phones are banned without any consequences in schools for phone use. Teachers aren't allowed to take student's phones from them, and after a day or so, admin will tell us to stop sending kids to the office because they can't manage the influx.
And then everyone uses their phones again.
Some schools have been successful, so it's definitely possible with phones and with Covid, but nothing will happen without everyone on staff willing to work together for the long term benefits of our kids!
If you or someone you know is struggling to get your kids off their phones, check out How to Raise a Healthy Gamer. I'm about halfway through, and so far it's a no-bullshit guide that might help reduce part of the draw to phones.
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