Social media ban for children would be
‘double-edged sword,’ Iqaluit activist says

A ban on social media for youth under 16 would be a “double-edged sword,” said Iqaluit activist Delaney Drachenberg.

The federal government is going to introduce a bill Wednesday to ban children from accessing social media platforms, the Globe and Mail reported Tuesday, citing an anonymous source it said was familiar with the plan.

“I do believe there needs to be more done to ensure the safety of youth when interacting with online platforms,” Drachenberg said in an interview Tuesday, adding that a ban might, however, result in an increase in suicide in the Arctic due to a lack of support networks.

“We’re going to see youth become more isolated in rural communities because social media is such a key part of how youth in rural communities, especially in Nunavut, get to interact with the world,” Drachenberg said.

“If they’re banned from social media, they would be completely banned from online support circles, especially when we think of youth whose parents may not be accepting,” Drachenberg said. “This is just going to isolate them further from their communities.”

Fenwick McKelvey, a communications professor at Montreal’s Concordia University, said in a phone interview that it’s a “wake-up call and a reminder for governments and community sectors to think about core questions of digital infrastructure.”

The bill, to be introduced by Canadian Identity Minister Marc Miller, would establish a federal regulator to set safety standards that social-media platforms must follow, the Globe reported.

The bill will include mechanisms to address harms caused by artificial-intelligence chatbots, the newspaper added.

The bill follows Ottawa’s other failed attempts to regulate social media providers in 2021 and 2024.

The bill is also expected to require transparency from artificial-intelligence companies, requiring them to notify police when a user has indicated they intend to harm themselves or someone else.

“This creates an opportunity to create safer spaces for youth to hang out and connect,” McKelvey said.

The bill could serve to correct the behaviour of such U.S.-based social media providers as Facebook, Reddit, and X that are not acting in good faith, said Michael Cooper, vice-president of data and partnerships with Mental Health Research Canada, a think tank that conducts mental health research.

“Social media companies are operating in a way that’s similar to how we saw tobacco companies operating previously, where they are pressuring governments, and they are providing selective facts,” Cooper said during a phone interview Tuesday.

Cooper participated in hearings when the House of Commons Canadian Heritage committee looked at the effects of influencers and social media content on children and adolescents.

By bringing the tech giants to the table, the bill could pressure the companies to change their behaviour if they want to maintain their market share, he said.