Canadian lawmakers have tabled a new bill aimed at improving online safety for young people.
At a news conference on Wednesday, Identity and Culture Minister Marc Miller says the proposal comes in the wake of the Tumbler Ridge shooting and is intended to make social media platforms and AI chatbots safer for children.
It was in February when eight people died in a horrific mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. They ranged in age from 12 to 39.
Miller says, “I’m not going to sit here and pretend today that there’s one rapid solution that would have prevented what happened at Tumbler Ridge from happening, but I do think this law could have made a difference.”
If passed, the legislation would prevent anyone under the age of 16 from accessing social media.
“The reality is we have discussed with a lot of these platforms what this law would look like. The reactions to be quite frank have been ranging from anywhere between cautiously optimistic to neutral,” says Miller.
The bill would also create a Digital Safety Commission to oversee and enforce the rules.
