Canada’s government has introduced a new bill that would prohibit children under the age of 16 from using social media, citing child safety concerns.
Several countries including Australia, Malaysia and Brazil have already imposed similar restrictions, while France, Denmark, Poland and the UK are considering comparable measures.
In Canada, the proposed law has been introduced but has not yet been passed by Parliament. The bill also provides for exemptions if technology companies can demonstrate that they have policies in place to reduce harm to minors.
According to the proposal, the measures aim to protect children from seven categories of harm, including the misuse of private images taken without consent. It also outlines broader rules to regulate software and the use of artificial intelligence, and to curb harmful online content.
To ensure compliance by technology companies, the bill proposes setting up a regulatory commission under the new framework.
