OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government is expected to introduce new online safety legislation this week that would ban social media use for children under 16, with limited exemptions for platforms that can prove they keep young users safe.
A government official confirmed the bill is expected to be tabled Wednesday, just before Parliament breaks for the summer. The plan would also create a new online safety regulator and set rules for tackling harmful content on digital platforms.
The proposed social media ban would allow companies to apply for exemptions if they can show strong safety protections for minors. The legislation is not expected to include similar restrictions for AI chatbots, but it will set safety responsibilities for tech companies.
Experts say the exemption system could push platforms to change how their apps are designed. One researcher noted that simply blocking access may not be enough, pointing to cases where children in other countries have found ways around similar rules.
The bill follows years of pressure from child safety groups and earlier efforts under the previous government, which tried but failed to pass online harms legislation. Some advocates say Canada is behind countries like the United Kingdom and Australia in regulating online safety.
The government’s broader tech agenda also includes plans for artificial intelligence, though opposition parties have criticized it for lacking detail on safety and privacy protections.
Concerns about online safety have grown following recent reports about violent incidents involving chatbots, prompting calls for stricter rules and faster action on digital platforms.
The new bill is also expected to drop some earlier proposals that would have expanded hate speech complaints under federal human rights law.
