A House of Commons committee is calling for a ban on targeted advertising by social media companies and new federal powers to regulate online content, including oversight of artificial intelligence chatbots.The Commons heritage committee outlined its recommendations in a report titled Effects Of Influencers And Social Media Content On Children And Adolescents, citing concerns about the impact of social media on young Canadians.The proposals include legally enforceable safety obligations for social media companies and the creation of an independent federal regulator to oversee online platforms.“The committee heard about the increasing use of social media and influencers in the lives of Canadians, particularly children and adolescents,” the report said.“Witnesses highlighted some of the negative impacts of social media and influencers on kids and teens such as mental health problems as well as exposure to harmful content and conduct, while acknowledging social media use also has some benefits.”The committee acknowledged that regulating social media could prove difficult because of the growing overlap between social networking, other internet services and general screen time.“It should be noted that while the focus of this report is on social media and influencers, the line between these things and the internet at large as well as issues related to screen time in general are increasingly blurred,” the report said.The recommendations come as Canadians continue to spend substantial amounts of time on social media platforms.A 2024 Privy Council Office survey found participants commonly reported spending between three and five hours a day using social media.“Asked how frequently they would use social media on a given day, most estimated their daily usage to be somewhere in the range of 3 to 5 hours,” said the report Continuous Qualitative Data Collection Of Canadians’ Views.The findings were based on focus groups conducted in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Québec.Participants identified Facebook, Twitter and TikTok as frequently used platforms, while smaller numbers reported using LinkedIn, YouTube and Snapchat.“Discussing the platforms they would typically use, several mentioned Facebook, Twitter and TikTok with a smaller number also reporting using LinkedIn, YouTube and Snapchat,” the survey said.“For most the primary reasons for visiting these platforms were entertainment and communicating with family and friends.”.Only a small number of participants reported rarely using social media or avoiding it altogether.Beyond recommending restrictions on targeted advertising, the heritage committee called for Parliament to “establish a legally enforceable duty of care requiring social media platforms to prevent, mitigate and respond to foreseeable online harms.”MPs also recommended creating an independent regulator to ensure social media companies, online service providers and AI chatbots comply with federal safety standards.The recommendations resemble provisions in the Liberal government's Bill C-34, An Act To Enact The Digital Safety Act, which proposes new federal oversight of online content.Under the legislation, cabinet would appoint a digital safety commission empowered to order social media companies, including Facebook, to remove specified categories of harmful content.The proposed restrictions would extend to certain online material considered a threat to public safety or the stability of Canadian institutions.One category identified in the legislation concerns content “undermining, weakening or destroying fundamental institutions or political, economic or social stability and that could cause a serious risk to the health or safety of the public.”The bill would also require social media platforms to restrict access to certain content for users younger than 16 and introduce additional restrictions involving pornography.The proposed powers would give a federal regulator authority over certain categories of online material, including content that may otherwise be lawful.The heritage committee's recommendations would extend regulatory oversight beyond traditional social media companies to include AI chatbot services.The committee maintained its proposals were intended to address risks to children and adolescents, including exposure to harmful content and conduct.However, the report also acknowledged that social media provides benefits, particularly for entertainment and maintaining connections with family and friends.The recommendations are not legally binding and would require parliamentary action before becoming enforceable.Bill C-34 represents a separate legislative effort to establish federal rules governing online safety, content moderation and the responsibilities of social media platforms.
