Azernews.Az

by Alimat Aliyeva

The Government of Canada has introduced a new digital safety bill aimed at strengthening online protection for minors. The proposed legislation includes a ban on social media use for children under the age of 16, with exceptions only for platforms that comply with strict safety standards, AzerNEWS reports.

The bill also focuses on improving the regulation of artificial intelligence chatbots and other digital tools that interact directly with users. In particular, it proposes the creation of a dedicated digital regulator responsible for setting, monitoring, and enforcing safety requirements across online platforms.

Under the proposed rules, companies that fail to comply could face significant penalties, including fines of up to 3% of their global annual revenue or 10 million Canadian dollars (approximately 7.2 million USD), whichever amount is higher.

Officials say the initiative is designed to address growing concerns about online harm, data privacy, cyberbullying, and the psychological impact of social media on children and teenagers. Supporters of the bill argue that stricter age controls could help reduce exposure to addictive algorithms and inappropriate content at an early age.

However, critics warn that enforcing such restrictions may be technically challenging, as age verification systems are often easy to bypass, and could also raise concerns about user privacy and data collection.

Canada’s move follows a growing global trend toward tighter regulation of digital platforms. Notably, Australia became the first country in the world to pass a nationwide ban on social media use for children under 16, setting a precedent that is now being closely watched by other governments considering similar measures.