Online harms now top threat to Canadian children, new report finds
Children First Canada ranks online dangers ahead of bullying, poverty and abuse for the first time, citing cyberbullying, luring, sexual extortion and AI-facilitated harm.
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Online harms have become the leading threat facing Canadian children, surpassing bullying, poverty and child abuse, according to Children First Canada's annual report released September 8.
It is the first time the organization's threat assessment has placed online dangers at the top of its list since launching the report in 2018. The shift reflects what the organization calls the "profound and rapidly escalating impact of the digital world" on children's rights to health, safety and protection from violence.
Children are encountering AI-driven toys and algorithmic content before they learn to read, Children First Canada states. Specific online risks include cyberbullying, child luring, sexual extortion, AI-facilitated abuse and documented mental health impacts.
The Tumbler Ridge, B.C. shooting last year — in which the shooter used ChatGPT — has become a defining moment in Canada's online safety debate. The incident has spawned dozens of lawsuits focused on the shooter's use of the AI tool.
Children First Canada is calling on the federal government to strengthen and pass the digital safety bill introduced earlier this year. HighOnCity reported in June that Ottawa's online safety bill was welcomed by B.C.'s Attorney General but fell short of what advocates sought, and that the West Shore RCMP was investigating violent online groups specifically targeting children.
The organization's previous threat rankings and the specific position online harms held in 2024 and 2025 are not yet available in public records.
What specific provisions does the federal digital safety bill include, and why does Children First Canada say it needs strengthening?
How many children are currently experiencing each type of online harm — luring, extortion, AI-facilitated abuse — in Canada?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
By the numbers
What threat to Canadian children did Children First Canada rank as most serious in its 2026 report?
Online harms topped the list for the first time since the organization began its annual threat assessment in 2018, surpassing bullying, poverty, and child abuse.
What specific online dangers does Children First Canada identify as threats to children?
Cyberbullying, child luring, sexual extortion, AI-facilitated abuse, and documented mental health impacts are among the online risks children face.
When was Children First Canada's report released?
The report was released on September 8, 2026.
