Canada wants to ban social media for those under 16 and regulate AI chatbots.

The Canadian government has introduced an ambitious digital safety bill that would ban children under 16 from accessing social media and impose new rules on artificial intelligence chatbots. This initiative places the country among the most proactive in protecting minors online.

The legislation stipulates that social media platforms will be prohibited for those under 16, unless they meet certain safety standards to be defined by the authorities. The government believes that social media and AI tools are often designed to capture users' attention and can have detrimental effects on the mental health of young people.

The bill also provides for the creation of a digital regulator tasked with establishing security standards for artificial intelligence chatbots. Companies that fail to comply with these obligations could face fines of up to 3% of their global revenue or 10 million Canadian dollars, whichever is higher.

Canadian Minister of Identity and Culture Marc Miller defended the reform, stating that social media and chatbots have become a source of anxiety, isolation, depression, and other mental health problems for many young people. He argued that the legislation should allow teenagers to prioritize real-life social relationships, academic success, and the development of practical skills.

The announcement comes weeks after a lawsuit was filed against OpenAI. Families affected by one of the country's worst mass shootings accuse the company of failing to alert authorities when a suspect allegedly used ChatGPT to plan his attack. OpenAI did not immediately respond to the allegations.

Canada is partly following the example of Australia, which last December became the first country in the world to ban social media for those under 16. According to Australian authorities, nearly five million teenage accounts were deactivated in the month following the law's implementation.

The Canadian proposal still needs to be reviewed by Parliament. According to government officials, its adoption could take about a year, while the establishment of the future digital regulator could take up to eighteen additional months. For their part, Google and Meta have indicated their willingness to work with Ottawa to strengthen the safety of young users on their platforms.