Canada Considers Banning Social Media for Children Under 16 – Government Introduces New Bill
The Canadian government has introduced a bill to parliament that could ban social media use for children under 16 unless companies prove their platforms are safe. This was reported by The Guardian.
Canada's Minister of Culture, Mark Miller, stated: “We are failing our children. Enough is enough. We need basic protection.”
What content is regulated
The legislative initiative covers seven categories of harmful content. Among them are:
- materials encouraging children to self-harm;
- content inciting violence and hate;
- intimate images shared without consent.
New oversight bodies and age verification
The bill plans to establish a Digital Safety Commission. Criteria for possible exemptions will be defined later. According to the minister, forming the regulator may take up to 18 months.
Platforms will be required to prove their safety and implement an age verification system for users.
Canadian services distributing adult content will not be eligible for exemptions.
Regulation of artificial intelligence
The document also includes regulation of companies creating AI-based chatbots. They will need to implement responsible use mechanisms, including crisis response protocols.
International experience
The Canadian government noted that it will consider Australia's experience, where after banning social media for users under 16, platforms blocked access to approximately 4.7 million child accounts.
At the same time, this decision sparked broad discussions in Australia about digital technologies, privacy protection, child safety, and the impact of social media on mental health.
Response from public organizations
Lianna MacDonald, Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, supported the initiative. She stated that cases of blackmail involving intimate images on social media have significantly increased.
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