Canadian government to ban social media for children under 16; will allow exemptions

 

 

The federal government led by Prime Minister Mark Carney is preparing to impose a complete ban on the use of social media by children under 16 in Canada. This crucial move is aimed at protecting the mental health and online safety of teenagers. However, government sources have clarified that exemptions will be allowed in this law for some specific platforms and educational purposes.

The Canadian government has announced that strict standards will be implemented for accurate age verification and millions of dollars in fines will be imposed on social media companies that violate the law.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said at a press conference that the law will help address parents' concerns about ensuring children's online safety. Canada's move follows the example of countries including Australia that have implemented similar legislation.

Meanwhile, while welcoming the ban, Canada's opposition parties and cybersecurity experts have expressed concerns about whether technological systems for age verification will affect the security of personal information. The federal government has decided to finalize the law in consultation with provincial governments in the coming months.