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The federal government’s Safe Social Media Act will regulate traditional social media services, live-streaming services and adult content services focused on user-shared content.Jana Rodenbusch/Reuters
Social media companies will have an obligation to prevent users below the age of 16 from having accounts on their platforms under new legislation introduced Wednesday by the federal government.
But these platforms, with the exception of those offering pornography, would eventually be able to seek exemptions from the ban if they have implemented sufficient safeguards for children.
The new bill, called the Safe Social Media Act, will regulate traditional social media services such as Facebook and X, live-streaming services and adult content services focused on user-shared content. But it does not cover internet search engines.
A new regulator created by the bill would establish standards social media platforms would have to meet in order to be exempt from the requirement to restrict accounts for young users.
The under-16 ban could be introduced before the regulator is set up, after regulations are issued that would set out which social media platforms are covered. The platforms subject to the ban are expected to be the larger ones, such as X.
The Globe and Mail first reported earlier this week that the government was preparing to propose the ban, which had long been called for by parents and advocates.
The bill does not specify the method of age verification platforms will need to employ in order to ensure their users are not younger than 16, but it sets out criteria for effective age verification.
The bill also introduces a duty for conversational artificial intelligence chatbots to act responsibly. They would not be subject to age restrictions, but would need to take steps to reduce the risk of harmful content.
Chatbot providers would have a duty to protect children.
Under the bill, companies would have to implement crisis intervention protocols when a user of a chatbot expresses intent to harm themselves or do violence to another person. AI chatbots would be barred from harmful behaviours, such as inciting a user to commit a crime.
The bill would establish an independent digital safety commission responsible for administering and enforcing the act, developing regulations and guidance and assessing compliance. It would also manage complaints, including about social media companies.
Platforms would have to submit digital safety plans to the commission.
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