Canada Introduces Digital Safety Bill Banning Social Media for Under-16s and Regulating AI Chatbots

Summary

Canada has introduced a comprehensive digital safety bill aimed at protecting children under 16 from the harms of social media and AI chatbots. The legislation would ban social media platforms for children under 16, with exemptions for platforms that meet specific safety standards. Additionally, the bill establishes a digital regulator tasked with setting safety standards for AI chatbots, addressing growing concerns about their role in mental health challenges affecting young Canadians.

Companies found in violation of the bill could face penalties of 3% of global revenue or up to C$10 million ($7.2 million), whichever is greater. Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture Marc Miller stated that social media platforms and AI chatbots are designed to capture attention and do not support healthy development, contributing to anxiety, isolation, and depression among young people. The bill's introduction follows months after Australia became the world's first country to enact a similar social media ban.

Government officials have indicated the bill could take approximately one year to pass Parliament and an additional 18 months to establish the digital regulator once enacted. Other countries including France, Denmark, Poland, and Greece are considering similar restrictions on social media access for minors, suggesting a growing international trend toward stricter regulation of digital platforms for child safety.

• The bill specifically targets mental health harms including anxiety, isolation, and depression reported by young Canadians