The Liberal government’s new online safety legislation would force social media to block access for kids under 16, though platforms will be able to obtain an exemption if they put sufficient safeguards in place.
Bill C-34, introduced Wednesday in the House of Commons, would also regulate the companies behind AI chatbots by imposing on them a duty to act responsibly.
That includes measures to lower the risk of chatbots communicating harmful content and putting in place crisis intervention protocols for cases involving self-harm, suicide or violence.
“The measures in this bill represent, in my view, the basic expectation that parents and Canadians (have) for keeping their kids safe online.
I believe all parties should agree on the importance of these minimum safeguards,” Culture Minister Marc Miller said.
He made the comments at a press conference in Ottawa, alongside a Toronto pediatrician and a representative for the Canadian Centre for Child Protection.
Child advocates and medical professionals praised the bill Wednesday evening, while large tech companies said they were assessing the legislation.
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