Canadians overwhelmingly support restricting social media access for children under 16, though some question whether Ottawa could enforce such a ban and warn it could lead to greater federal censorship of the internet, according to government focus groups.Blacklock's Reporter said an in-house Privy Council report found almost all participants supported a mandatory minimum age for social media and believed restrictions could improve children's mental health and well-being.“Almost all reacted positively to this information with many believing a mandatory minimum age for social media would have a positive impact on the mental health and overall well-being of young people,” said the report.“Asked whether they felt the federal government should consider implementing this type of policy in Canada, almost all answered affirmatively.”Cabinet introduced Bill C-34, An Act To Enact The Digital Safety Act, on June 10 to restrict minors' access to social media platforms including Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter.The March 31 Privy Council report, Continuous Qualitative Data Collection Of Canadians’ Views, found some participants questioned whether services such as YouTube and Reddit should be covered by the restrictions because they can provide educational material as well as entertainment.Researchers said many participants believed keeping children off social media could encourage them to spend less time staring at screens.“A number expected a social media ban would likely lead to younger Canadians spending less time on screens and digital devices and would encourage them to devote a larger portion of their days to enjoying the outdoors, pursuing hobbies, exercising or interacting with friends and family in person,” said the report.The findings were based on focus groups conducted by Toronto pollster The Strategic Counsel under a $1.6 million federal contract. Topics discussed by participants were selected by cabinet aides.Parents and other participants questioned how Ottawa could prevent children from circumventing age-verification measures.“Several expected there would still be ways for underage users to get around these checks and that parents would also need to be responsible for monitoring the content and platforms their children were accessing online,” said the report.A small minority opposed a federal minimum age, arguing decisions about children's social media use should remain with parents.Some also expressed concerns the legislation “could ultimately lead to increased censorship of the internet.”“Among the very small number who did not agree with the establishment of a mandatory minimum age for social media, it was felt this was a decision that should primarily be left up to parents and should not fall under the purview of the federal government,” said the report..Bill C-34 would also establish a federal “digital safety commission” empowered to order social media companies to remove specified categories of harmful content.The bill identifies content connected with property damage committed for a political, religious or ideological purpose, including actions aimed at “undermining, weakening or destroying fundamental institutions or political, economic or social stability” when they could pose a serious risk to public health or safety.The legislation would also target content that “foments hatred,” defined in the bill as material expressing “detestation or vilification” of an individual or group based on a prohibited ground of discrimination.Bill C-34 follows two previous Liberal government attempts to regulate online content that died when Parliament was dissolved.Bill C-36, introduced in 2021, proposed amendments dealing with online hate, while Bill C-63, the Online Harms Act, was introduced in 2024 and proposed establishing a digital safety commission and digital safety ombudsperson.Heritage Minister Marc Miller acknowledged earlier this year that the government's minority position had made passing previous internet regulations difficult.“Being a minority government,” cabinet was unable to pass earlier regulations, Miller told reporters April 15.“The politics perhaps of it are convenient, but the policy has to be right as well,” he said.“It’s no secret that we have been in a minority for six years. There are some opportunities here.”
