Canada Proposes Social Media Ban for Under-16s
The Canadian government has introduced new legislation aimed at transforming child safety online, including proposing a ban on social media accounts for children and teenagers under the age of 16.
By introducing Bill C-34, also known as the Safe Social Media Act or Digital Safety Act, Ottawa joins a rapid global movement to regulate major tech platforms. The announcement comes ahead of the upcoming G7 summit in France next week, where international leaders are expected to coordinate policies regarding artificial intelligence and protecting children from online harm.
Speaking to reporters in the House of Commons, Culture Minister Marc Miller emphasized that passing an online harms law was an urgent priority for the government because "kids are dying."
"Suffice to say, we will take all reasonable measures to make sure kids are safe in this country," Miller stated. "We are failing our children. Enough is enough," he added. "We need basic protection in place."
According to briefing documents, the law intends to curb features like engagement-based feeds, algorithmic recommendation systems, endless scrolling, and autoplay, which the government argues can amplify hazardous material and maximize exposure for minors.
"Social media platforms and AI chatbots are designed to capture attention. They do not support healthy childhood development and have become a source of anxiety, isolation, depression and a range of other mental health challenges for many young Canadians," Miller noted.
The legislation specifically Targets seven distinct categories of "harmful content," including:
- Material that induces children to harm themselves
- Cyberbullying directed at a child
- Content that foments hatred or incites violence
- The non-consensual sharing of intimate images (which platforms would be legally mandated to remove within 24 hours of content being flagged)
The proposed framework also targets the developers of artificial intelligence chatbots, forcing a legal duty to act responsibly by embedding safety standards and crisis intervention protocols.
The focus on AI follows intense domestic pressure after a fatal mass school shooting in British Columbia in February, where an 18-year-old suspect killed eight people, including six young children. It was later revealed that the shooter utilized ChatGPT to discuss gun violence months before the attack. OpenAI banned the user last June but failed to notify law enforcement, drawing severe backlash and prompting families of the victims to file a lawsuit against OpenAI.
While Canada's proposal mirrors a strict under-16 social media ban enacted by Australia six months ago, Ottawa is introducing a distinct regulatory loophole. Tech companies can bypass the outright ban if they can actively prove their platforms are safe and demonstrate sufficient safeguards to minimize dangers to minors. However, platforms that offer adult content will be completely barred from seeking this exemption.
To enforce these rules, the bill will establish an independent regulator called the Digital Safety Commission of Canada, with members appointed directly by the cabinet. Officials note that setting up the new regulator could take up to 18 months, and it may take a full year for the bill to pass through Parliament.
The financial stakes for non-compliance are severe. Tech firms that fail to meet the new standards face maximum fines of either $10 million CAD ($7.2 million USD) or 3% of their gross global revenue, whichever amount is greater.
Advocates for children's safety have welcomed the legislation. Lianna McDonald, executive director of the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, applauded the government's intervention, highlighting a dramatic rise in online sextortion cases.
Sara Austin of Children First Canada remarked that the built-in safety exemption creates a strong incentive for tech giants to redesign their interfaces for the better. This, she argued, "will not only benefit children, but will also benefit all Canadians." Government officials have also confirmed they intend to study and learn direct lessons from Australia's rollout, where the government has already launched five investigations into platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok for failing to verify ages properly.
However, the legislation faces pushback at home. Critics and free speech groups have raised concerns over censorship, warning that the bill expands government control over digital expression. They argue that online offenses should instead be prosecuted through existing statutes within Canada's criminal code.
