Canada Proposes Under-16 Social Media Ban as Meta, X Face Safety Standards
Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · Jun 10
Canada Proposes Under-16 Social Media Ban as Meta, X Face Safety Standards
3 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · Jun 10
Summary
Mark Carney’s government introduced legislation Wednesday that would bar under-16s from platforms such as Meta and X unless those companies satisfy new child-safety requirements.
The bill ties youth access to compliance, effectively creating a moratorium on under-16 users for platforms that fail to meet the standards.
AI chatbots are also covered, though not by the age ban; firms would have to curb harmful content risks and disclose their crisis-reporting thresholds.
The proposal broadens Canada’s online-safety push from social media access to AI systems, putting new compliance pressure on major tech companies.
Will Canada's social media ban for teens actually work, or just create a new privacy crisis?
Can new laws stop AI chatbots from giving teens dangerous advice on mental health and suicide?
Canada’s Under-16 Social Media Ban: Effectiveness, Global Lessons, and the Future of Online Youth Protection
Overview
Canada is preparing to introduce a major online safety bill that would ban social media use for anyone under 16. The Carney government is taking this bold step to protect children from online harms, including the negative effects of social media and risks from generative AI. This move comes as Canada tries to catch up with other countries in regulating the internet. The proposed law is expected to be presented before the summer, while Prime Minister Mark Carney will join G7 leaders in France to discuss a unified approach to keeping children safe online.