March 28 (Reuters) - Four Canadian school boards have

sought more than C$4 billion ($2.96 billion) in damages from

social media firms such as Meta Platforms ( META ) and Snap

in a lawsuit, alleging that their products harmed

students.

The products are "negligently designed for compulsive use,

have rewired the way children think, behave and learn", a joint

statement by the boards said on Thursday.

That has caused learning and mental health crises in

students, resulting in the schools having to invest more in

support programs, they said.

Several studies have shown that platforms like Facebook and

Instagram can be addictive and their prolonged use can lead to

anxiety and depression.

Thirty-three U.S. states had last year sued Meta, accusing

its product cause mental health issues among young children and

teenagers.

The Canadian lawsuit has also named TikTok, the short-video

social media platform from China's ByteDance.

The action has been brought on by Toronto District School

Board, Peel District School Board, Toronto Catholic District

School Board, and Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.

More than 1,000 schools are affiliated to the boards.

Toronto-based law firm Neinstein LLP is representing them.

($1 = 1.3535 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting by Yuvraj Malik in Bengaluru;Editing by Arun Koyyur)