Four of the largest school boards in the Canadian province of Ontario announced Thursday they had filed lawsuits against TikTok, Meta and SnapChat, alleging the social media platforms were affecting student learning.

The lawsuits note that platforms like Facebook and Instagram are “designed for compulsive use, have reconfigured the way children think, behave and learn” and that teachers have had to deal with the consequences.

Meta Platforms Inc. owns Facebook and Instagram; SnapChat is owned by Snap Inc. and ByteDance Ltd. owns TikTok.

Dozens of U.S. states, including California and New York, are also suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people and contributing to a youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that make children addicted to their platforms.

The Canadian school boards that filed the lawsuit are the Toronto District School Board, the Peel District School Board, the Toronto Catholic District School Board and the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.

They are seeking damages for the disruption to students' learning and the education system.

“The accused acted in an arrogant, reckless, malicious and reprehensible manner, without regard for the well-being of the student population and the education system,” according to a statement from the school boards.

Tonya Johnson, a spokeswoman for Snap Inc., said Snapchat helps its users stay in touch with their friends.

“Snapchat opens directly to a camera, rather than a content file, and does not receive traditional likes or comments from the audience,” he said. “While we'll always have more work to do, we're excited about the role Snapchat plays in helping close friends feel connected, happy, and prepared for the many challenges of adolescence.”

Representatives for Meta and ByteDance did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.