Canada Needs ‘Even-Handed’ Policy to Protect Youth From Social Media Harm Without Compromising Free Speech: Report

Canada Needs ‘Even-Handed’ Policy to Protect Youth From Social Media Harm Without Compromising Free Speech: Report
Social media apps are displayed on a phone screen in a photo illustration on Dec. 1, 2024. Roni Bintang/Getty Images
Carolina Avendano
Updated:
0:00

As social media is increasingly linked to youth mental health concerns, Canada should consider focusing on how children use these platforms rather than regulating online content, a new report suggests. It argues that content-based regulation could raise concerns about privacy and freedom of expression.

While governments in some countries have introduced policies aimed at reducing online harm to youth by moderating content on social media platforms, enforcing these policies in a consistent and impartial way can be difficult, as definitions of “harmful” content are often subjective and context-dependent, says an April 15 report from the Macdonald-Laurier Institute.