Canada shuts down social media for teenagers under 16
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Canada has proposed a new law to prohibit children and teenagers under the age of 16 from using social media.
The country's Culture Minister, Mark Miller, introduced the bill named the "Safe Social Media Act" in the House of Commons on Wednesday.
Earlier this week, Culture Minister Mark Miller told journalists that passing such a law is now a top priority for the Canadian government to overcome the harms of the online world, because children are dying as a result of its impact.
"We will take every reasonable step to ensure the safety of the country's children," the Culture Minister emphasized.
Previously, the country's Liberal government had twice failed to implement online safety legislation. This time, multifaceted pressure has built on Canada to pass this law.
There is also pressure from parents and rights activists worldwide to ensure children's online safety. Those involved say these steps are being taken in response to their pressure.
Canada has introduced this bill just before the G-7 summit to be held in France next week. It is known that world leaders will discuss protecting children from AI technology and online harms and will issue a joint statement at the summit.
The newly proposed 'Bill C-34' identifies seven categories of harmful content. These include content related to child harassment, spreading hatred, or inciting violence.
Additionally, the law includes broad measures to control AI chatbots and reduce harmful content online.
A new independent regulatory body called the "Digital Safety Commission of Canada" will be established to oversee the proper implementation of this proposed law. Its members will be appointed by the country's Cabinet.
The commission will have the power to impose strict penalties for violations. The maximum fine could be 10 million Canadian dollars or 3 percent of the concerned company's global total revenue.
Source: BBC
