Canada proposes banning social media for children under 16 and creating new AI safety rules, following Australia's lead on youth protection.

What happened: The Canadian government introduced a digital safety bill Wednesday that would ban social media for children under 16, with exemptions available for platforms meeting certain safety standards. The bill also establishes a digital regulator to set safety standards for AI chatbots. Companies that fail to comply face penalties of 3% of global revenue or up to 10 million Canadian dollars ($7.2 million（約12億円）), whichever is more.

Why it matters: Government officials say social media and AI chatbots are designed to capture attention and do not support healthy childhood development; the minister cited anxiety, isolation, depression, and other mental health challenges among young Canadians as drivers for the policy. This move reflects growing international concern about digital safety for children, months after Australia enacted the world's first social media ban for young people.

What to watch: The bill contains exemptions for platforms that meet safety standards, meaning not all social media will be banned—the question is which platforms will qualify and how the digital regulator will define and enforce those standards.