Alberta is adopting a cautious wait-and-see approach, paying close attention to any youth social media bans that Ottawa or other provinces may consider before making any decisions of its own, officials say.
Federal Culture Minister Marc Miller has said Ottawa is “very seriously” considering a social media ban for children and youth as a key part of addressing online harms, and Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew announced this week his plan to ban children from using social media accounts and artificial intelligence chatbots.
The press secretary for Alberta Minister of Justice Mickey Amery said the province has no plans to follow suit at the moment.
“Alberta’s government is aware that there are jurisdictions implementing or considering limiting or banning social media for children,” Heather Jenkins said in an emailed statement. “We are watching these developments, and no restrictions are being considered at this time.”
Federal Liberal Party members voted in favour of establishing a social media age limit of 16 during the party’s recent policy convention, and Miller described the recommended ban as a potentially important addition to the government’s online harms bill. The minister told reporters on April 15 that the legislation is in the works and the government is “seriously” thinking about adding a social media ban for children to the bill.
Kinew announced the upcoming ban at a party fundraiser, but did not disclose any details such as the age limit he is considering, or how a provincial government might have jurisdiction over international platforms.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said last month that his government plans to ask voters for input on a social media ban for children younger than 16.
“Canada should be considering options to limit social media use by minors,” Moe said in a March 30 X post. “In the coming weeks, our government will be asking Saskatchewan people for their views on this matter.”
Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra has previously talked about the possibility of a social media ban for children younger than 16 in conjunction with a stricter cellphone ban in school.
He confirmed at an April 28 press conference that he is still considering prohibiting social media in schools and would work closely with the federal government on banning such sites for kids under a certain age.
The minister previously said he has been observing the implementation of similar bans in Australia and some U.S. states, and it is something he wants to “pursue.”
Australia implemented the world’s first strict social media ban for children last December, in a bid to protect the mental health of youth younger than 16. The law forces platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and YouTube to take “reasonable steps” to block access, with potential fines up to $34.7 million for non-compliance.
The European Parliament is considering a minimum age of 16 for the entire EU and has created an age-verification app to allow users to prove their age without sharing personal data.
France, Spain, Norway, Denmark, Indonesia, the UK and several U.S. states have either implemented or are in the process of introducing legislation requiring parental consent for minors to use social media.
Canadians have expressed support for such a ban as well. A national poll by Angus Reid last month found that 75 percent of more than 4,000 respondents supported a ban in which those younger than 16 are prevented from setting up accounts on social media sites.
Meanwhile, most of the respondents who said they favoured a total ban also said it is primarily the responsibility of parents to regulate their children’s social media activities, rather than that of the government, the survey found. The pollster called the results a “curious juxtaposition.” TikTok, X/Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram were the platforms Canadian poll-takers were most in favour of banning for youth.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
