Canada introduces bill to restrict social media access for under-16s

The Canadian government has introduced new legislation that would restrict children under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms as part of a broader effort to strengthen online safety protections and hold technology companies more accountable for harmful contentThe proposed legislation known as Bill C34 was introduced on Wednesday by Canadian Identity and Culture Minister Marc Miller The bill seeks to establish a comprehensive framework for addressing online harms particularly those affecting children and young usersProposed law targets social media and AI chatbot servicesUnder the proposed Safe Social Media Act children under the age of 16 would generally be prohibited from holding accounts on social media platformsHowever the legislation includes a provision that would allow companies to apply for exemptions if they can demonstrate that adequate safeguards have been implemented to protect younger users from online risksThe bill also expands regulatory oversight to artificial intelligence chatbot services including platforms similar to ChatGPT reflecting growing concerns about the impact of emerging technologies on children and vulnerable usersAccording to the Canadian government the legislation aims to shift responsibility onto online service providers by requiring them to take proactive measures to prevent harm rather than simply responding after incidents occurFocus on preventing online harms before they happenGovernment officials argue that existing Canadian laws largely address harmful online behaviour only after it has occurred The proposed legislation seeks to change that approach by requiring technology companies to actively identify and reduce risks before harm takes placeThe bill would require social media companies and AI chatbot providers to implement measures designed to protect users from cyberbullying harassment exploitation and other forms of harmful contentIt would also place greater emphasis on transparency and accountability requiring online platforms to demonstrate how they are protecting users and complying with safety standardsChildrens safety to be central to platform designA key feature of the legislation is the requirement that childrens safety be incorporated into the design and operation of digital servicesAccording to government briefing documents platforms would be expected to introduce safeguards aimed at limiting childrens exposure to harmful material and reducing the likelihood of dangerous interactions onlineThe proposed framework would also require companies to assess risks associated with their products and take reasonable steps to mitigate those risksOfficials say the goal is to create safer digital environments while ensuring that technology companies remain responsible for the impact of their platformsNew regulator and steep penalties proposedThe legislation would establish a new oversight body the Digital Safety Commission of Canada to monitor compliance and enforce the proposed rulesAccording to briefing documents cited by Canadian media companies found violating the law could face substantial financial penalties Fines could reach up to CAD 10 million or three per cent of a companys global annual revenue whichever amount is higherThe commission would be responsible for investigating complaints monitoring industry compliance and ensuring that online services adhere to the new safety requirementsPart of a broader global trendCanadas proposal comes amid growing international efforts to improve online safety for childrenAustralia remains the first country to enact a nationwide law restricting social media access for children under 16 Several other countries including the United Kingdom France Greece Spain and Malaysia have explored or proposed similar measures aimed at protecting young users from online harmsCanadian officials say the new legislation reflects increasing concerns about the impact of social media platforms and artificial intelligence technologies on childrens mental health safety and wellbeingDebate over regulation and free speech continuesThe latest bill follows years of political debate over online regulation in Canada Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had pledged to introduce legislation addressing online harms during the 2021 election campaign and an earlier version of the proposal was tabled in 2024However that legislation failed to pass before the 2025 federal election and faced criticism from opposition parties and civil liberties advocatesConservative lawmakers argued that some provisions in the earlier bill risked limiting free expression and granting excessive powers to regulatorsSpeaking on Wednesday Minister Marc Miller acknowledged that previous versions of the legislation had generated legitimate concerns He said the government had revised its approach to avoid what he described as regulatory overreach and to focus more narrowly on preventing online harms while balancing individual freedomsThe bill will now proceed through Parliament where it is expected to face detailed scrutiny and debate before any final decision on its adoption is madeWith inputs from PTI