Canada Unveils Digital Safety Bill to Ban Social Media for Under-16s and Tighten AI Regulations
Canada has introduced a sweeping new digital safety bill that would prohibit children under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms and impose stricter safety requirements on artificial intelligence chatbots. The proposed legislation marks one of the country’s most significant efforts to address growing concerns about online safety, youth mental health, and the rapid expansion of AI technologies.
Under the proposed law, social media companies would be required to verify users’ ages and prevent children under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts. The government argues that excessive social media use has been linked to issues such as cyberbullying, anxiety, depression, and exposure to harmful content among young people.
Officials say the legislation is designed to create a safer online environment for children and teenagers while holding technology companies more accountable for the content and services they provide. Companies that fail to comply with the new requirements could face substantial financial penalties.
The bill also introduces tougher regulations for AI-powered chatbots and digital assistants. Developers would be required to implement stronger safeguards to prevent harmful, misleading, or inappropriate interactions, particularly those involving minors. AI companies may also be required to increase transparency about how their systems operate and how user data is collected and used.
The proposed measures come as governments around the world grapple with the challenges posed by rapidly evolving digital technologies. Concerns have grown over the influence of social media on young users, while the rise of advanced AI systems has sparked debates about privacy, misinformation, online manipulation, and user protection.
Supporters of the legislation argue that stronger rules are necessary to protect children from online risks and ensure that technology companies prioritize user safety over growth and engagement. They believe the bill could serve as a model for other countries seeking to regulate digital platforms and emerging AI technologies.
However, critics have raised questions about how age verification systems would work in practice and whether the restrictions could impact privacy rights and freedom of expression. Some technology experts also warn that implementing effective safeguards without collecting additional personal data may prove challenging.
If approved, the legislation would place Canada among the countries taking the most aggressive steps to regulate social media access for minors and establish stricter oversight of artificial intelligence, signaling a new era of digital accountability and online safety.