Kids must be protected from online dangers

After delegates to last weekend’s Liberal Party national convention passed a resolution calling on the federal government to ban social media use for children under the age of 16, it was reported earlier this week that the government is very seriously considering the implementation of such a ban.

Federal Culture Minister Marc Miller told reporters on Wednesday that the federal government plans to introduce an online harms bill and is consulting with an expert advisory group on what specific measures should be included in the legislation. He emphasized that a ban could be an important tool, but that it would only be part of the solution to the problem.

“I do think it could be an important layer,” he said, “but it has to be seen as that and not as the answer to everything. Online harms don’t end as soon as you turn 15, or 16 or 17.”

Justice Minister Sean Fraser echoed Miller’s words, saying that a ban is one of several options the government is considering, “but we want to make sure that we have the full benefit of the deep policy advice from people whose full-time job it is to understand the consequences.”

That’s a prudent approach, but there is no serious disagreement regarding the danger of social media usage by children. According to a 2024 Yale Medicine report, social media use is strongly linked to harmful mental health outcomes in children and teens, including increased anxiety, depression, sleep disruption and low self-esteem. It can also lead to exposure to cyberbullying, harmful content and body image issues.

A study by the renowned Mayo Clinic, released just five months ago, arrived at similar conclusions. It found that social media use by children can be linked to a range of harms, including exposure to online predators who might try to exploit or extort them, and also to cyberbullying, which could raise the risk of mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.

The report adds that with the teenage brain, it is common to make choices before thinking them through. As a result, it says that teens who post content online are also at risk of sharing sexual photos or highly personal information, which can lead to those kids being bullied, harassed or even blackmailed. Even worse, the report found that “certain content related to risk-taking, and negative posts or interactions on social media, have been linked with self-harm and rarely, death.”

Given all those serious dangers, it is no surprise that other jurisdictions are taking steps to protect children from online harms. Five months ago, Australia became the first country to pass a law enforcing age limits on social media accounts. In addition, several European nations have passed or are considering legislation that sets a minimum age for social media use. Beyond that, the European Union will soon be releasing an age verification app that requires users to upload their passport or ID card to confirm their age.

As a sign of the importance of such legislation, and of the broad base of support for it here in Canada, both the opposition Conservatives and New Democrats have expressed their support for age restrictions for social media use. For example, NDP parliamentary leader Don Davies said every parent in the country is worried about their kids accessing inappropriate content online, and there is a need for government regulation in this space.

We agree. This is not a matter of personal freedom, but rather an urgent issue impacting the safety of those most dear to us as a society. The threat posed to children by social media use, and online activity generally, is beyond dispute. It has caused serious harm, including the deaths of children in some instances, and will continue to do so until tangible measures are implemented to stop it from doing so.

As governments of other nations take concrete steps to protect children from online dangers, so too must Canada. We encourage the Carney government to move quickly on this important issue.