The Canadian government introduced a landmark digital safety bill on Wednesday to regulate teens' social media exposure. The bill, once passed, would ban social media for children under 16, with exceptions for certain platforms that meet safety standards. This bill takes precedence over the Australian government's months-long effort to enact a first-of-a-kind social media ban for young people.
The bill will also make AI chatbots safer by introducing a digital regulator that will rigorously screen chats and establish high safety standards, a Canadian government official said. The companies can face a penalty of up to 3% of global revenue or C$10 million, whichever is greater, if they fail to comply with regulatory standards.
“Social media platforms and AI chatbots are designed to capture attention. They do not support healthy childhood development and have become a source of anxiety, isolation, depression, and a range of other mental health challenges for many young Canadians," said Marc Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture.
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"This legislation will provide a safer environment for young Canadians and empower them to connect in-person, build friendships, focus on school, and learn real-world skills so they can thrive.”
This bill was introduced weeks after families affected in the country’s worst mass shooting sued OpenAI, alleging that the company failed to take action by notifying the police even after knowing the alleged killer was planning the attack through ChatGPT. OpenAI has yet to respond to this matter.
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In December 2025, Australia became the first country to impose a social media ban for children under 16. Around 5 million teenage accounts were deactivated soon after this law came into effect.
The Canadian government, in a technical briefing, has said it could take a year for the bill to pass and around 18 months to set up the digital regulator.
A spokesperson from Google said the company is committed to providing its full support to the federal government in establishing higher safety standards on all of its platforms. The safety standards aim to instill confidence and control in parents, enabling them to choose better, safer online experiences for their children.
A spokesperson for Meta said, "Like lawmakers, we want safe, positive online experiences for young people, and we are assessing the details of the Digital Safety Act."
France, Denmark, and Poland are a few other countries that may follow this lead and are considering putting stringent rules around social media use for children. Greece has already announced it will ban access for children under 15 from January 2027.
Brett Caraway, an associate professor at the University of Toronto who specializes in technology and privacy, said Canada's proposal would be more comprehensive than the Australian law.
Canada's policy "would entail a more complex set of platform obligations," he said. "Its aim is a redesign of the social media ecosystem to make it safer for children, whereas Australia's law is about restricting access to the ecosystem."
"The scope is also broader since Canadian law would tackle AI as well," he added.
The growing number of countries banning social media for children or considering similar legislation reflects increasing concern about social media's impact on adolescents. Several other countries are expected to follow this lead. As AI technologies become more deeply integrated into everyday life, ensuring a safe online experience for children should remain a top priority.