Advocates calls on federal government to protect children online

From social media to AI, advocates are calling on the federal government to stop studying and start doing something about online harm. CTV’s Austin Lee reports.

Child safety advocates are continuing their push for the federal government to implement long-promised online protections for children in Canada.

From bullying and exploitation to concerns over the use of artificial intelligence through conversations with chatbots and generative technologies, advocates say more is needed to keep Canada’s youth safe in a digital age.

“We’re pleading with government to act. To do what we know is right for our children. To table this legislation and to stop with delaying tactics like online studies. We have mountains of evidence,” said Sara Austin, Founder & CEO of Children First Canada.

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“We know what is necessary. We need them to have the backbone to act, and to act decisively for our children.”

It’s been two years since the federal Liberals tabled Bill C-63, the Online Harms Act.

The bill died when former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation and asked the governor general to prorogue parliament in January 2025.

Committee discusses online harms

Austin was one of several advocates and witnesses to appear before the House of Commons heritage committee on Tuesday to call for immediate action.

“We have been waiting 1,600 days for government to table the online safety act. Every day that passes causes kids immeasurable harm,” she said.

“We have lost far too many children. [Tuesday] we heard from Carol Todd, the mother of Amanda Todd, who buried her daughter over a decade ago due to online harms.”

Joining Austin as a speaker during Tuesday’s heritage committee were two young speakers, laying out their experiences on the internet.

“It’s where we learn, it’s where we play and it’s also where we connect with our friends. Maybe even where we live. But it’s also where kids get bullied. Where we see things we were never ready for and it’s where mistakes can follow you forever,” said 12-year-old Zachary Fathally.

“Adults always tell us to be careful online, but how can we be careful when websites are designed to keep us scrolling no matter the cost? That’s not a fair fight and it shouldn’t be our job to fix it.”

Other countries implementing bans for youth

The renewed calls for action come as other nations implement or explore age restrictions for the most popular social media platforms.

In Australia, a first-of-its-kind social media ban for kids under 16 years old is in effect.

It bars anyone under 16 from using ten of the most popular social media platforms.

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Reddit, Snapchat, Kick, X, YouTube and Twitch could face fines of up to $49.5 million AUD if they fail to remove the accounts of children under 16.

France is in the process of bringing about a similar ban for children under 15.

Advocates in Canada say they are hearing support from parents for social media age restrictions, but there is also an appetite to take things a step further.

“Simply restricting social media doesn’t address the AI harms that kids are exposed to,” said Austin.

“We need much broader legislation that looks at the comprehensive digital environment that kids live in and that really holds the entire tech industry, not just the social media industry, but the whole tech industry to account.”

Benefits and harms

Some teens still in high school, like Grade 12 student and Ottawa Catholic School Board Student Trustee Chiara Frangione, see real benefits to using social media.

“I’ve been able to connect with other youth leaders, I’ve made international spaces and chats where we are able to create projects, share prospectives, broaden our horizons and understandings of different issues,” she said.

“The detriments I have been seeing in terms of social media, there is a lot of loneliness for youth. I have definitely seen, especially in a school setting where you have to be focused and learn, how social media can have an impact on focus, attachment to others, as well as social comparison.”

In a statement to CTV News, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture Marc Miller said protecting children online remains a priority.

“We all want our children to be safe as they navigate the digital world, and platforms have an important role to play in meeting that challenge,” Miller said.

“Our government intends to act swiftly to better protect Canadians, especially children, from online harm, and will have more details to share in due course.”

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The discussion in Canada comes as a landmark trial over youth addiction to social media gets underway in the United States.

Meta and Google are facing allegations that their platforms deliberately addict and harm children.

TikTok and Snapchat settled before that trial kicked off.