At the Federal Liberal convention on April 11, members of the Liberal party made two motions: one to support setting 16 as the age of majority for Canadians to use social media and a second to limit the use of AI Chatbots for people under 16.
The motion is non-binding, meaning there is no obligation for the government to bring the motion into law.
The social media motion was championed by Quebec MP Rachel Bendayan, who says prolonged social media use can be harmful to the mental health of young Canadians, and argued that social media companies need to be more accountable and stop allowing young children to use technologies designed to be addictive.
Social media and AI use amongst kids has been a hot topic in Canada after it was revealed that Jesse Van Rootselaar appears to have used ChatGPT to plan the shooting here in Tumbler Ridge.
Van Rootselaar was 17 at the time.
Recent polls have shown Canadians are in support of limiting young people’s access to social media and AI.
In a recent poll by The Logic, 64 percent of respondents supported a social media ban for kids under 14.
A similar poll last month from Angus Reid showed nearly the same results.
Previously, Prime Minister Mark Carney has said the idea “merits an open and considered debate in Canada.” However, he has not come out and said a social media ban would be a good thing.
If it were enacted, Canada would follow in the footsteps of Australia, who became the first country to limit the age of social media users, and introduced fines for social media companies found non-compliant.
This echoes a proposal made by the Tumbler Ridge and Prince George Chambers of Commerce, which would make six recommendations to the federal and provincial governments:
- Enact legislation prohibiting Canadians under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms and generative AI tools.
- Require technology companies to implement secure, privacy-compliant age verification systems to enforce minimum age requirements.
- Require platforms to report to appropriate Canadian law enforcement authorities any credible threats of violence, criminal activity, exploitation, or other dangerous conduct involving users over the age of 16 when such conduct results in suspension or removal from the platform.
- Establish meaningful and proportionate financial penalties or operational restrictions for companies that fail to comply with age verification and reporting requirements.
- Invest in education programs that support youth, parents, educators, employers and employees in understanding the safe use of online technology.
- Invest in youth mental health programs that supports youth, parents, educators, employers and employees in addressing the personal effects of online harms.
That resolution will be voted on by members of the BC Chamber of Commerce at the annual general meeting in Fort St. John, June 1–3.
Trent is the publisher of Tumbler RidgeLines.
