{"id":83302,"date":"2026-06-11T02:44:06","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T02:44:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/83302\/"},"modified":"2026-06-11T02:44:06","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T02:44:06","slug":"with-chatbot-regulation-canada-proposes-a-ban-on-social-media-for-under-16s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/83302\/","title":{"rendered":"With chatbot regulation, Canada proposes a ban on social media for under 16s"},"content":{"rendered":"

The government of Canada announced today that it\u2019s mulling a ban on social media for children under 16, though unlike some other countries that have already introduced<\/a> such a ban, Canada has said the social media platforms can keep serving children if they can prove they\u2019re safe.<\/p>\n

In what\u2019s fast becoming a global effort<\/a> to protect kids from the dangers of social media, Canada believes \u201charms are intensifying\u201d for young people for everything from \u201cchild sexual exploitation and cyberbullying to self-harm and mental health issues.\u201d To counteract that, Marc Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture, has introduced Bill C-34, the \u201cSafe Social Media Act.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have seen the very serious consequences that online harms can have,\u201d said Miller. \u201cAs technologies evolve, we must ensure our laws keep pace, because parents cannot face these challenges alone. The safety of children cannot be an afterthought. This legislation will introduce stronger responsibilities for online platforms to ensure their services are safe by design and include appropriate measures to keep children safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over the last year or so, a number of countries have followed in the footsteps of Australia, that became the first country to impose a social media ban for under 16s. Britain, Denmark, France, Spain, Greece, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia are also in the process of developing similar bans, legislation that despite concerns<\/a> regarding social media harms has not yet been embraced in the U.S. where most of the countries that provide the technology are located.<\/p>\n

Canada\u2019s bill, which will need to be passed by Parliament before it is written into the law, also takes aim at artificial intelligence chatbots that themselves have come under scrutiny<\/a> of late for their potential harms<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Though Canada isn\u2019t planning to ban such chatbots for kids, the legislation asks that companies build safety mechanisms into their services concerning how the chatbot builds relationships, how it responds to questions around self-harm, and how it mitigates the risk of the chatbot sending harmful content in general.<\/p>\n

Miller told CBC Canada<\/a> that the reason chatbots won\u2019t see age restrictions is the technology is \u201cevolving\u201d and can be educational as well as posing dangers<\/a>. \u201cWe\u2019re going to have to keep a close eye on it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Photo: Unsplash<\/a><\/p>\n

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