
In a major move to ensure the online safety of children, Canada has initiated steps to ban social media use for anyone under the age of 16.
According to a report by the BBC, the Canadian government has introduced a new bill which, if passed, will see Canada join Australia in implementing some of the world's strictest regulations on youth social media access.
The proposed legislation, titled the "Safe Social Media Act," aims to restrict children under 16 from creating accounts or using social media platforms.
However, the bill introduces a key variance from Australia's model: tech companies may receive partial exemptions if they can prove they have implemented highly effective safety measures to mitigate harm to minors.
Marc Miller, Canada’s Minister of King's Privy Council and Cultural Infrastructure (Culture), introduced the bill in parliament on Wednesday.
"Enacting legislation to combat online harm is now a top priority for the government," Miller stated.
The new law also includes provisions to regulate Artificial Intelligence-based (AI) chatbots and restrict content deemed harmful to children.
To enforce these regulations, the bill proposes the establishment of an independent regulatory body, the "Digital Safety Commission of Canada."
Heavy Penalties for Violations
The bill explicitly categorizes seven types of "harmful content," including cyberbullying of children, hate speech, incitement to violence, and other high-risk subject matter.
Platforms found violating the law could face severe financial penalties, with fines reaching up to 10 million Canadian dollars or 3% of their global annual revenue.
However, the proposed legislation has already sparked intense debate. Several organizations advocating for freedom of expression have raised concerns that the new law could pave the way for increased online censorship.
They argue that these issues could be effectively managed under existing criminal laws instead.
Global concern regarding children's online safety continues to grow. Countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, France, and New Zealand have already adopted various laws and policy frameworks to tackle the issue.
The BBC added that the intersection of artificial intelligence and child safety online is expected to be a key agenda item at the upcoming G7 Summit in France next week.




