The Current Canada weighs social media ban for kids under 14
Jan 29, 2026
Taylor Owen, media ethics scholar and federal advisor on AI and online harms, and Lisa Given, RMIT information sciences professor with expertise in social media policy, discuss Canada’s contemplation of a youth social-media ban. They compare Australia’s approach, talk enforcement and verification challenges, migration to new platforms, limits of bans, and alternative regulatory ideas like duty of care and stronger oversight.
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Ban Is Technically Limited
- Australia's ban only required platforms to take "reasonable steps" to block under-16s, so it's inconsistent in practice.
- Technical limits and loopholes mean bans won't fully stop kids using mainstream platforms.
Teens Describe Easy Workarounds
- Some Australian teens reported being blocked while others used simple tricks to bypass restrictions.
- One teen described squinting or covering teeth to fool facial checks and accessing multiple platforms.
Migration To New Platforms
- Kids migrated from blocked mainstream apps to niche platforms, messaging, gaming and forums.
- That shift forces governments to chase new technologies and risks pushing youth into darker corners online.