MONTREAL — The Liberal Party of Canada is set to debate a significant policy resolution concerning children's access to social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, and YouTube during their convention in Montreal. The resolution, advocated by Jonathan Nuss, the head of the Outremont Liberal riding association, calls for restricting social media accounts to Canadians aged 16 and older.

Nuss, who is a Montreal lawyer and father of two young children, expressed that this proposal aims to initiate a national conversation about the influence of addictive technologies on children, highlighting the harmful impacts social media can have on their mental health. He emphasized that similar protective measures exist for other dangers, such as alcohol and tobacco, and argued that these protections should extend to social media.

The backdrop to this debate includes Australia's recent legislative action, which made it the first country to impose fines on social media companies that allow underage users to create accounts. Several other nations are also contemplating similar regulations. The Liberal convention's resolution highlights various risks associated with social media use among children, including increased anxiety, cyberbullying, exposure to non-consensual imagery, and other harmful content. However, it does not specify whether penalties for violating this policy should be implemented.

Nuss referenced a recent lawsuit in Los Angeles in which social media giants Meta and YouTube were ordered to pay millions for creating platforms designed to foster addiction among young users without considering their well-being. In this case, a California jury awarded damages to a 20-year-old who claimed her addiction to social media severely affected her mental health. The lawsuit pointed to features such as endless scrolling and algorithm-driven content that encourage prolonged platform usage.

Outremont MP Rachel Bendayan expressed her support for the resolution, sharing that she has an eight-year-old daughter who is curious about social media despite not being exposed to it yet. She recognized that many parents are grappling with decisions regarding their children’s engagement with social media and suggested that an age-based ban might gain bipartisan support in Parliament. Furthermore, she noted that young people themselves have shown interest in instituting age limits for social media usage.

Prime Minister Mark Carney, during a recent trip to Japan and Australia, acknowledged the need for an open discussion on the topic. He indicated that he does not have a fixed stance but recognizes the arguments on both sides. Carney pointed out that Canadian laws are lagging in addressing online harms and hinted that age stipulations might be included in forthcoming online harms legislation.

In addition to the social media resolution, another proposal directed at limiting the use of AI chatbots to older teens and adults will also be considered at the convention. It is noteworthy that any policies passed during the convention will be non-binding. Nevertheless, a report from January suggested that the government has been quietly developing a similar policy for children under the age of 14.

Despite the challenges faced in enforcing restrictions—such as kids finding loopholes to access platforms—proponents of the resolution maintain that this should not deter efforts to legislate for child safety. Bendayan articulated this sentiment, comparing social media regulations to seatbelt laws: just because some individuals do not comply with safety measures does not mean we should abandon the pursuit of enforcing them.