Canada Moves to Restrict Social Media Access for Under-16s
WHO:
AP News - Marc Miller, Canada’s culture minister, stated, “We are failing our children. Enough is enough.”
AP News - Lianna McDonald, Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, applauded the move.
WHAT:
TechCrunch - Australia was the first country to issue a ban on social media for children under 16 in late 2025, aiming to reduce risks such as cyberbullying, social media addiction, and exposure to predators.
AP News - In Australia, social media companies have revoked access to about 4.7 million accounts identified as belonging to children since the country banned use of the platforms by those under 16.
AP News - The law in Australia has provoked intense debate about technology use, privacy, child safety, and mental health, prompting other countries to consider similar measures.
AP News - Canada introduced legislation that could bar children younger than 16 from having social media accounts unless companies can demonstrate safety.
AP News - The legislation covers seven types of harmful content, including content that induces self-harm, incites violence, foments hatred, and non-consensual intimate images.
AP News - A new regulator, the Digital Safety Commission of Canada, will be created to oversee these regulations.
AP News - Platforms in Canada that offer adult content will not be able to obtain an exemption under the new legislation.
WHERE:
AP News - The legislation is being introduced in Canada.
WHEN:
AP News - The criteria for exemptions will be announced at a later date.
AP News - Setting up the Digital Safety Commission could take up to 18 months.
WHY:
AP News - A Canadian government official stated that authorities will try to learn lessons from Australia's experience with social media restrictions.
AP News - The Canadian government is joining a global effort to tighten safety protections for children online.
AP News - The move is motivated by a significant increase in sextortion cases on social media.
HOW:
AP News - Social media platforms can obtain an exemption if they implement sufficient safeguards.
AP News - Age verification will be established as part of the new regulations.
AP News - The legislation will also regulate companies behind artificial intelligence chatbots, imposing a duty to act responsibly.
(UPDATED June 11, 2026 18:02 UTC)
Australia has become the first country to implement a ban on social media for children under 16, a decision made in late 2025. This initiative aims to reduce significant risks like cyberbullying, social media addiction, and exposure to online predators. The move has garnered attention as nations consider similar measures to protect young users.
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(UPDATED June 11, 2026 16:21 UTC)
In Australia, social media companies have revoked access to approximately 4.7 million accounts identified as belonging to children, following a ban on platform use for those under 16. This law has sparked intense debate regarding technology use, privacy, child safety, and mental health, leading other countries to contemplate similar measures. A Canadian government official has indicated that authorities will seek to learn from Australia's experience with these social media restrictions.
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(UPDATED June 11, 2026 14:20 UTC)
Canada has introduced new legislation aimed at protecting children online, which could prevent those under 16 from having social media accounts unless companies can prove safety measures are in place. Culture Minister Marc Miller expressed the urgency of this initiative, stating, “We are failing our children. Enough is enough,” while Lianna McDonald, Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, praised the move as part of a broader global effort to enhance online safety for kids amid rising concerns over sextortion cases. The legislation will create the Digital Safety Commission of Canada to oversee these regulations, and platforms will need to implement age verification and other safeguards to qualify for exemptions.