Will Alberta follow Manitoba and implement a social media ban for teens?

Parents are welcoming the thought of banning social media and AI for kids after the Manitoba government announced planned legislation over the weekend.

As Manitoba moves forward with plans to ban children from using social media accounts and artificial intelligence chatbots, some Alberta parents say it’s a change they’d like to see here as well.

Calgary mother Codi Provins-Tse has a five-year-old daughter and a seven-year-old daughter.

“I don’t want them to get on social media and getting into some bad things and talking to potentially bad people,” she said.

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Provins-Tse says she wants the province to clamp down on social media usage by teens before her children ever start use social media platforms.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew announced plans to proceed with a social media ban for youth at a party fundraiser in Winnipeg on Saturday.

“I think it’s important to monitor their time socially and what they’re looking at,” Kinew said.

“These tools have been designed by ... People who understand our psychology, who understand our biology, and they have designed these tools and optimized them to hack our children’s reward system in their brain.”

Kinew did not reveal specific details of his plan, such as the age limit he is considering or how a provincial government might have jurisdiction over international platforms.

Last December, Australia became the first country to create a law enforcing age limits on social media accounts.

The country also introduced fines for companies found non-compliant.

Here in Canada, federal Liberal party members recently passed a non-binding resolution to set 16 as the age of majority for Canadians to be able to use social media accounts.

On Monday, advocates held a rally on Parliament Hill urging the federal government to move quickly to introduce its promised online harms bill.

Children First Canada CEO Sara Austin was in attendance.

“We know kids aren’t just on social media, they’re using gaming platforms, they’re using AI chat bots,” said Austin. “It’s time for Canada to keep pace, to pass legislation that will keep our kids safer in this digital world and hold these tech companies accountable.”

In Calgary, Grade 12 student Laura Liu says she has a hard time believing a social media ban would work.

“It is a good idea because I know personally there are definitely negative effects of social media,” Liu said. “I also think kids are going to find a way around it.”

“A better solution would just be an education piece about it.”

Khushi Maheshwari, another Grade 12 student, agrees.

“Kids, they would find a way around it – and I think it’s worse for them to be sneaky and unmonitored with their social media,” Maheshwari said.

The Government of Alberta says while it is paying attention to Manitoba’s social media ban, “no restrictions are being considered at this time.”

In a statement sent to CTV News, Nathan Ip, Alberta NDP Shadow Minister for Technology and Innovation, said all youth deserve to be protected in digital spaces.

“There is growing evidence and concern about the harm young people are facing online,” he said. “The Alberta NDP Caucus supports efforts that help keep young people safe and is open to considering evidence-based measures, including approaches being tested in other jurisdictions.”