Canada has introduced the Safe Social Media Act to ban children under 16 from social media, with exemptions for platforms that meet safety standards set by a new Digital Safety Commission. The bill, which also regulates AI chatbots, comes amid concerns over youth mental health and follows a similar ban in Australia. Companies face fines of up to 3% of global revenue for non-compliance.
Social media age restriction legislation
- ▪The legislation covers seven categories of harmful content, including material that bullies a child, incites violence, or foments hatred
- ▪On June 10, 2026, the Canadian government introduced the Safe Social Media Act, which would ban children under 16 from social media platforms
- ▪The bill was introduced by Culture Minister Marc Miller, who stated that social media platforms have become a source of anxiety and depression for young Canadians
Digital Safety Commission enforcement mechanism
- ▪Government officials estimate it could take up to 18 months to establish the Digital Safety Commission after the bill becomes law
- ▪The legislation would create a new independent regulator, the Digital Safety Commission of Canada, to enforce the law
- ▪Companies that violate the act could face penalties of 3% of their global revenue or C$10 million ($7.2 million), whichever is greater
Platform safety exemption criteria
- ▪The age restrictions would not apply to AI chatbots or gaming platforms like Roblox, and adult pornography platforms cannot seek exemptions
- ▪The ban would not apply to platforms that meet specific safety standards, which will be determined by a new regulator
- ▪The legislation will require platforms to establish age verification measures
AI chatbot harm-response requirements
- ▪The bill requires AI chatbots to implement measures to respond when a user expresses intent for suicide, self-harm, or causing serious harm to others
- ▪The proposed law would not require AI chatbot companies to report harmful user interactions to the police
- ▪The bill's introduction follows a mass shooting in British Columbia where the suspect used ChatGPT to discuss gun violence months before the attack
Online harms legislative history
- ▪Australia enacted the world's first social media ban for children under 16 in December 2025
- ▪Other countries, including the UK, France, Denmark, and Greece, are also considering or implementing similar social media restrictions for children
- ▪The bill is the Liberal government's latest attempt to pass online harms legislation after a previous bill failed in 2024 amid free speech concerns
- ▪Following Australia's ban, social media companies deactivated approximately 4.7 million accounts belonging to children
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