The Canadian government introduced a new digital safety bill on Wednesday that would ban social media for children under 16. The legislation, introduced by Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government, would apply to platforms operated by firms such as Meta Platforms Inc., X Corp, and Snapchat. However, exemptions would be granted to platforms that can prove they meet certain safety standards.
The bill also seeks to make AI chatbots safer by establishing a digital regulator to set safety standards. This move follows a lawsuit from families affected by one of Canada's worst mass shootings, who allege that OpenAI failed to warn police after the killer planned the attack using ChatGPT. Companies that fail to comply with the new laws could face penalties of 3% of their global revenue or up to C$10 million ($7.2 million), whichever is greater.
This initiative is part of a growing global effort. Australia became the first country to ban social media for children under 16, which led to the deactivation of nearly 5 million teenage accounts. Additionally, Greece announced a ban for those under 15 starting in January 2027, while France, Denmark, and Poland are considering tightening their own rules regarding social media use for children.
Government officials stated it could take a year for the bill to pass and another 18 months to establish the digital regulator. Prime Minister Mark Carney currently holds a slim majority in Parliament, which is scheduled for summer recess soon. This effort comes after a previous attempt to get tech companies to shelter young users failed following heavy criticism from civil liberty groups.