Canada introduces legislation to ban social media for children under 16, regulate AI chatbots

OTTAWA — The Canadian government on Wednesday introduced a digital safety bill that would ban social media use for children under 16, with exemptions for platforms that meet specific safety standards. The proposal comes months after Australia enacted the world’s first social media ban for young people.

The legislation also seeks to make artificial intelligence chatbots safer by creating a digital regulator tasked with establishing safety standards for online platforms, according to a government official.

Under the proposed rules, companies could face penalties of up to 3% of global revenue or C$10 million ($7.2 million), whichever is higher, if they fail to comply.

“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.

“This legislation will provide a safer environment for young Canadians and empower them to connect in person, build friendships, focus in school, and learn real-world skills so they can thrive.”

The bill’s introduction in Parliament comes weeks after families affected by one of Canada’s deadliest mass shootings filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging the company was aware the attacker had been planning the incident using ChatGPT but failed to alert authorities. OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In December, Australia became the first country to ban social media for children under 16. One month after the law was introduced, social media companies collectively deactivated nearly 5 million teenage accounts.

Government officials said in a technical briefing that it could take up to a year for the bill to pass Parliament and another 18 months to establish the digital regulator once approved.

Technology companies responded cautiously to the proposal. A Google spokesperson said the company is committed to working with the government to develop stronger safety standards that give parents more control over their children’s online experiences.

A Meta spokesperson said the company shares the goal of creating safe online environments for young people and is reviewing the details of the proposed Digital Safety Act.

X, formerly Twitter, and Snapchat did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Other countries are also considering similar measures. France, Denmark, and Poland are exploring tighter restrictions on social media use for children, while Greece has announced plans to ban access for users under 15 starting in January 2027.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney holds a slim majority in Parliament, which is expected to break for its summer recess soon.

Experts say Canada’s proposal goes further than Australia’s approach. Brett Caraway, an associate professor at the University of Toronto, said the Canadian bill introduces broader obligations for platforms.

“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 focuses mainly on restricting access.”

He added that the Canadian framework is also wider in scope because it includes artificial intelligence regulation alongside social media rules. -Reporting by Maria Cheng; Additional reporting by Jasper Ward; Editing by Caroline Stauffer, Mark Porter, David Gregorio and Cynthia Osterman/Reuters