The Canadian government introduced legislation Wednesday that would prohibit children and teenagers under the age of 16 from using social media platforms, joining a growing international push to address online harms to minors while offering tech companies a path to avoid the ban through demonstrated harm-reduction policies.
Culture Minister Marc Miller introduced the Safe Social Media Act — Bill C-34 — in the House of Commons on June 10. The legislation would require platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to prevent under-16s from creating accounts, but provides an exemption for companies that can show they have implemented policies and technologies to effectively minimize harm to young users.
Miller said earlier in the week that passing an online harms law was a priority for the Canadian government. “Suffice to say, we will take all reasonable measures to make sure kids are safe in this country,” he told reporters, adding that the urgency stemmed from the fact that “kids are dying.”
The proposed law creates a new independent regulator, the Digital Safety Commission of Canada, whose members would be appointed by cabinet, according to government briefing documents. The maximum penalty for violations is the greater of 10 million Canadian dollars (about $7 million U.S.) or 3% of a company’s gross global revenue.
The text of Bill C-34 lists seven categories of “harmful content,” including material that bullies a child, foments hatred, or incites violence. The government’s culture and justice ministries did not immediately respond to requests for further details on the criteria.
Pressure on Canada to act has mounted after a previous Liberal government twice failed to pass online safety legislation. The push gained renewed urgency following a deadly mass school shooting in British Columbia in February, in which an 18-year-old suspect killed eight people, including six young children. The suspect was revealed to have used ChatGPT to discuss gun violence months before the attack. OpenAI has since faced criticism for failing to report the suspect’s account to police, and CEO Sam Altman issued a written apology to the victims’ families.
The legislation arrives amid a global wave of similar measures. Australia became the first country to ban social media for children under 16 six months ago, barring them from creating new accounts on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, and deactivating existing ones. Social media companies there face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($32 million U.S.) for serious or repeat breaches, and the law requires them to take “reasonable steps” to keep minors off platforms using multiple age assurance technologies such as IDs, face or voice recognition.
However, a recent Australian government survey of parents found that around 70% said their children remained on social media despite the ban. Many parents reported that their children were not asked by platforms to verify their age after the law went into effect. The Australian government has said it has opened five investigations into alleged non-compliance, including probes into Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok.
Sara Austin, whose organization Children First Canada has long advocated for an online harms law, said Canada’s decision to include an exemption clause could be positive because it offers an incentive for firms to enact better safety policies overall. This, she said, “will not only benefit children, but will also benefit all Canadians” using these platforms. Austin added that while Canada has lagged behind its peers on online safety, she hopes the proposed law is an opportunity to set a precedent ahead of the G7 summit.
The proposal is not without controversy. Some free speech groups have argued that online harms should be addressed within existing laws under Canada’s criminal code rather than through new legislation, which they warn could expand government censorship. The government has not yet detailed how the regulator would enforce the new rules.
The bill’s introduction comes just ahead of the G7 summit in France next week, where world leaders are expected to discuss and issue statements on artificial intelligence and protecting children from online harm. Other countries are already moving in similar directions. The United Kingdom, which already has an Online Safety Act, is expected to announce a ban for those under 16 next week. Greece has set a ban for children under 15 to take effect in January. France and New Zealand have also enacted child online safety laws.