Canada Proposes Legislation to Ban Social Media for Children Under 16 to Address Mental Health Concerns
The Canadian government has introduced a new bill aimed at banning social media use for children under the age of 16. This legislation, known as the Safe Social Media Act, seeks to mitigate mental health issues such as social media addiction, depression, and cyberbullying among young Canadians. The bill proposes that users must verify they are at least 16 years old to access platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. A new regulatory body, the Digital Safety Commission of Canada, would be established to enforce these safety standards. The legislation is part of a broader international trend, with similar measures being considered or implemented in countries like Britain, Malaysia, France, Greece, and Spain. The bill also addresses the safety of AI chatbots, requiring platforms to identify and mitigate risks of harm, and to remove non-consensual intimate images within 24 hours of being flagged. 
