Ottawa restricts social media for under-16s
New federal bill sets safety criteria for platforms; exemptions possible if companies implement adequate child protections.
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The federal government is moving to restrict young Canadians' access to social media unless those companies can prove they've made their platforms safe for children.
Culture Minister Marc Miller introduced the Safe Social Media Act in the House of Commons Wednesday, which sets out three core duties for regulated services: protecting children, acting responsibly, and making certain content inaccessible.
The bill would force social media services—defined as traditional platforms, live-streaming services, and adult content services focused on user-shared content—to restrict accounts for children under 16 years old. However, services could seek an exemption if they implement adequate safeguards to protect children, with exemptions not applying to adult content services. The criteria for exemptions will be determined later through regulations.
The bill also addresses artificial intelligence chatbots, requiring them to flag violent ideation and respond when users express ideas of suicide, self-harm, or intent to commit serious bodily harm. A new Digital Safety Commission would be responsible for enforcing the act and developing regulations.
It remains unclear when the ban would come into effect. Officials estimate it could take 18 months to set up the regulator after the bill becomes law. This is the second federal attempt to regulate online harms; a previous bill died when former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prorogued Parliament in early 2025. Conservatives have said they want to review the new bill before commenting.