The Canadian government has unveiled a comprehensive digital safety bill aimed at safeguarding children under 16 from online harms. This legislation, introduced on Wednesday, follows Australia’s lead in implementing strict measures to protect young users from the potential dangers of social media and artificial intelligence chatbots.
The bill proposes a ban on social media for children under 16, with exceptions for platforms that meet stringent safety standards. This move comes as part of a broader effort to address the growing concerns around online safety and the impact of digital services on young users.
Establishing a Digital Regulator for Safer AI Chatbots
The proposed legislation also includes provisions to make AI chatbots safer by establishing a dedicated digital regulator. This regulator will be responsible for setting safety standards and ensuring that digital services operate in a manner that minimizes harm to users. The Canadian government has indicated that it could take up to a year for the bill to pass and an additional 18 months to set up the digital regulator once it does.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, who holds a slim majority in Parliament, has emphasized the importance of addressing online harms that are shaped by how digital services are designed and operated. Features such as algorithmic recommendation systems, engagement-based feeds, autoplay, and endless scrolling can amplify harmful content and increase exposure, particularly for young users.
Global Trends in Digital Safety Legislation
Canada’s initiative is part of a global trend towards stricter regulations on social media use for children. Australia became the first country to ban social media for children under 16 in December, leading to the deactivation of nearly 5 million teenage accounts. France, Denmark, and Poland are also considering tightening rules around social media use for children, while Greece announced plans to ban access for those under the age of 15 starting from January 2027.
The introduction of the bill in Parliament comes weeks after families affected by one of Canada’s worst mass shootings sued OpenAI. The lawsuit alleges that the company knew the alleged killer had been planning the attack using ChatGPT but did not warn the authorities. This incident highlights the urgent need for regulatory measures to address the risks associated with AI technologies.
Key Provisions of the Digital Safety Bill
The bill aims to set up new safety requirements for social media services and AI chatbot services. These requirements include identifying risks of harm on their platforms, adopting measures to address certain risks, implementing safety-focused and age-appropriate design features, and providing tools such as blocking and flagging. Platforms will also be required to submit publicly disclosed digital safety plans.
Additionally, the bill mandates the removal of content that sexually victimizes a child or includes the non-consensual sharing of intimate images within 24 hours of being flagged. This provision underscores the government’s commitment to protecting vulnerable users from online exploitation and abuse.
The Canadian government has acknowledged that voluntary action by digital services has not kept pace with the scale, speed, and severity of online harms. Against this backdrop, the proposed legislation represents a significant step towards creating a safer digital environment for young users.
