Canada has introduced a digital safety bill that would restrict access to social media platforms for children under the age of 16, while allowing companies to seek exemptions if they can demonstrate adequate safeguards for young users.
Bill C-34: A New Legal Framework for Online Harms
Bill C-34, introduced on Wednesday by Canadian Identity and Culture Minister Marc Miller, is the latest attempt by the Canadian government to create a legal framework to address online harms. The proposed legislation would also regulate artificial intelligence chatbot services, such as ChatGPT, and introduce new safety requirements for online platforms, according to an official statement.
While laws exist in Canada to respond once harm has occurred, there is currently little that requires online services to prevent harm in the first place, the statement said. The proposed Safe Social Media Act aims to change that by ensuring social media services and AI chatbot providers are responsible for addressing harm before it occurs, it said.
Global Context of Children's Online Safety
The move places Canada among a growing number of countries seeking to strengthen online protections for children. Australia remains the only country to have enacted a nationwide law restricting social media access for under-16s, while countries including the UK, France, Greece, Spain and Malaysia have considered, proposed or developed similar measures aimed at improving children's online safety.
If passed, the Canadian legislation would also place responsibility on websites to protect children from harmful content, including cyberbullying or harassment carried out through digital platforms. It would make online services more accountable and transparent by introducing new safety requirements for social media services and AI chatbot services, according to the official statement.
Age Restriction and Exemptions
It would include an age restriction preventing children under 16 from having accounts on social media services, with a pathway for companies to seek exemptions if they can demonstrate that they have put in place sufficient safeguards for children, it said. According to the Canadian government's statement, the new requirements would also place children's safety at the centre of product design, including measures aimed at reducing young users' exposure to certain content and high-risk interactions.
Enforcement and Penalties
Government briefing documents cited by local media reports said the bill would create a Digital Safety Commission of Canada to oversee compliance with the new rules. Companies found in violation of the legislation could face penalties of up to CAD 10 million or three per cent of their global revenue, whichever is higher.
Background and Opposition
The legislation follows years of debate in Canada over how to regulate online harms. Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised such legislation during the 2021 election campaign and a bill was introduced in 2024. However, that legislation failed to pass Parliament before the 2025 election. The bill was also met with opposition, including from the Conservatives, who argued that some of its Criminal Code provisions could have a chilling effect on free speech, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Miller said on Wednesday that previous versions of the legislation had represented an 'overreach'. He added: 'There were, in my mind, legitimate criticisms about inserting criminal repercussions (into the previous legislation).'
