Canada introduces Safe Social Media Act with age ban and AI oversight
The Digital Safety Commission of Canada will enforce the new rules, which align the country with Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia in restricting teenage access to social platforms.
Canada has introduced the Safe Social Media Act, legislation that prohibits individuals under the age of 16 from holding social media accounts. Presented by Marc Miller, the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture, the bill mandates that platforms design products that are safer for children, remove deepfakes, and eliminate content that sexually victimises children or revictimises survivors. This move places Canada in the company of Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia, which have similarly implemented bans on teenage social media use.
While the age restriction applies specifically to social media services, AI chatbot services are exempt from the ban. However, the legislation imposes new safety expectations on these platforms, requiring them to mitigate risks of communicating harmful content and implement emergency measures for crisis situations. Miller noted during the announcement that chatbots are not as well-studied regarding harm as social media platforms and do not serve the same social role.
The bill includes language regarding AI chatbot services, which appears to be a response to OpenAI’s handling of the Tumbler Ridge shooting. Under the new rules, AI platforms must introduce clear methods for reporting harmful material, labels for AI content, and tools for blocking users to prevent further exposure to harmful content. The specific technical and operational details for these requirements will be determined by the Digital Safety Commission of Canada.
The Digital Safety Commission of Canada, established via a separate act, will enforce the regulations and grant exemptions for platforms that maintain sufficient child safeguards. The commission will have the authority to determine the exact criteria for these exemptions and define what platforms must provide beyond the age requirement. This regulatory framework aims to balance innovation with safety, ensuring that emerging technologies do not pose undue risks to minors.
The legislation marks a significant step in Canada’s approach to digital safety, combining strict age gates for social media with nuanced oversight of AI interactions. As the Digital Safety Commission begins its work, industry players will need to adapt their products to meet the new standards for safety and crisis management. The act reflects a growing global consensus on the need for stricter controls over digital platforms and artificial intelligence services to protect younger users.
