Canada seeks to ban social media accounts for children under 16, joining growing global effort

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Category: Education/Family

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. induce / ɪnˈdus / (v.) – to cause or make something happen
    Example:

    The company was fined because its advertisements tried to induce teenagers to buy dangerous products.


  2. foment / foʊˈmɛnt / (v.) – to cause or help create a negative feeling or problem
    Example:

    False information foments fear in the community during a crisis.


  3. verification / ˌvɛr ə fɪˈkeɪ ʃən / (n.) – the process of checking that something is true, correct, or real
    Example:

    The bank required identity verification before approving my application.


  4. intervention / ˌɪn tərˈvɛn ʃən / (n.) – an action taken to help improve a situation or solve a problem
    Example:

    Early medical intervention helped the patient recover more quickly.


  5. revoke / rɪˈvoʊk / (v.) – to officially cancel or take back something
    Example:

    The city revoked the restaurant’s license because it did not meet safety standards.


Article

Read the text below.

In June, Canada introduced legislation that could bar children younger than 16 from having social media accounts unless the companies show they can make their platforms safe.


Canada is joining a growing global effort to tighten safety protections. Canadian government officials said social media platforms can obtain an exemption if they have put in place sufficient safeguards.


“We are failing our children. Enough is enough,” Marc Miller, Canada’s culture minister, said. “We need basic protection in place.”


The legislation covers seven types of harmful content, including content that induces children to harm themselves, content that incites violence and foments hatred, and non-consensual intimate images.


A new regulator, the Digital Safety Commission of Canada, will be created. Criteria for what exemptions would look like will be announced at a later date. Miller said setting up the regulator could take up to 18 months.


Miller said platforms will need to prove they are safe. Age verification will also be established.


Countries including Australia, Brazil, and Indonesia have introduced or announced age-based restrictions or requirements for children’s access to social media. Others, including Britain, France, Spain, Denmark, Thailand, and South Korea, are studying or developing similar approaches.


The legislation would also regulate the companies behind artificial intelligence chatbots by imposing on them a duty to act responsibly through measures such as crisis intervention protocols.


In Australia, social media companies have revoked access to about 4.7 million accounts identified as belonging to children since the country banned use of the platforms by those under 16, officials said. The law provoked intense debate in Australia about technology use, privacy, child safety, and mental health, and it has prompted other countries to consider similar measures.


A Canadian government official, in a briefing with journalists, said authorities will try to learn lessons from Australia.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • Age verification will be established to check users’ ages on social media platforms. What concerns do you think people might have about age verification (ex. it invades privacy)? Would you be willing to undergo an age verification check when online? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Canada’s proposed law could prevent children under 16 from using social media unless platforms prove they are safe. What do you think should be considered when deciding the right age for children to use social media? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Many countries are studying or developing similar approaches to control children’s access to social media. How do you think social media use will change in the future? Do you think the future generation will have a different relationship with technology than people today? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Countries such as Australia, Brazil, and Indonesia have started or planned rules that limit or control children’s access to social media based on age. In your opinion, should countries copy the same rules/laws, or should each country create its own approach? Why do you say so? Discuss.