Canada introduces bill to ban social media for under-16s

Canada’s government has introduced a digital safety bill that would prohibit children under 16 from having social media accounts, with an exemption pathway for platforms that can demonstrate sufficient safeguards for young users. The proposed legislation, unveiled on Wednesday, also aims to regulate artificial intelligence chatbot services and introduce new safety requirements for online platforms.

The bill, designated Bill C-34, was introduced in parliament by Canadian Identity and Culture Minister Marc Miller. In a statement, Miller said, “We have seen the very serious consequences that online harms can have … The safety of children cannot be an afterthought.” Other reports quoted him as saying, “We are failing our children. Enough is enough,” and “We need basic protection in place.”

What the bill proposes

Under the legislation, social media services would be required to prevent children under 16 from having accounts, unless companies can prove their platforms meet certain safety standards. The criteria for exemptions are slated to be announced at a later date, according to one report.

The bill also addresses AI chatbots. It would establish a digital regulator—referred to as the Digital Safety Commission of Canada in some reports—to set safety standards and enforce compliance, including child-focused risk mitigation for AI chatbot services.

The legislation encompasses seven categories of harmful content, including content that sexually victimizes a child, content that induces children to harm themselves, content used to bully a child, content that incites violence, content that foments hatred, terrorism or violent extremist content, and non-consensual intimate images.

Social media services, including adult content platforms, would also face new requirements to mitigate risks associated with exposure to these categories and to apply labels to synthetically generated content, according to the South China Morning Post.

The government’s proposal states that online harms “are also shaped by how digital services are designed,” as reported by Al Jazeera.

Enforcement and penalties

Companies found in violation of the legislation could face penalties of up to 3% of their global revenue or C$10 million (US$7.2 million), whichever is higher, according to multiple reports.

The legislation could take about a year to pass, government officials said at a technical briefing, with the digital regulator expected to take 18 months to set up once the bill becomes law. Reuters reported the same timeline, citing officials, according to Deutsche Welle.

International context

The Canadian bill follows Australia, which in December became the first country to ban social media for children under 16. Al Jazeera reported that a month after Australia’s law was introduced, social media companies collectively deactivated the accounts of nearly 5 million teenagers.

In Europe, France, Denmark, and Poland are also considering tightening rules around social media use for children, according to Al Jazeera. Greece announced in April that it would ban access for those under 15 from January 2027. The Hindu noted that the U.K., France, Greece, Spain, and Malaysia have also considered, proposed, or developed similar measures aimed at improving children’s online safety.

Key Claims

  • Canada introduced legislation that would ban children under 16 from having social media accounts, with exemptions for platforms meeting safety standards.
  • The bill establishes a digital regulator to set safety standards for AI chatbots and other online services.
  • The legislation covers seven categories of harmful content, including child sexual abuse material, self-harm content, and cyberbullying.
  • Companies could face fines of up to 3% of global revenue or C$10 million for non-compliance.
  • The legislation could take up to a year to pass, with an additional 18 months to set up the regulator.
  • Australia became the first country to ban social media for children under 16 in December.
  • France, Denmark, and Poland are considering similar measures; Greece has announced a ban for under-15s from January 2027.

Perspectives

Government of Canada: The bill is a necessary step to address online harms before they occur, with Culture Minister Marc Miller saying, “The safety of children cannot be an afterthought.” The government argues that existing laws only respond after harm has happened, and the new framework would require online services to prevent harm proactively.