Social media like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram are fueling a youth mental health crisis.
We’re calling on Canada’s government to protect kids’ mental health:
Call to Action
Raise the age of social media access to 16
Every signature turns concern into a collective demand for change. Featured on CTV and CBC. Supported by SickKids and OPSBA.
We’ll keep you updated as we make progress.
35+
hours a week spent on social media by 23% of teens
CAMH 2024
48%
of teens say social media harms kids their age
Pew Research 2025
3 in 4
girls are cyberbullied or harassed online
Plan International 2024
6,555
cases of child sextortion, luring, trafficking, and related online harms in Canada last year
Cybertip.ca 2024
Other countries see the issue and are acting
Age protections supported by
“Digital platforms are taking advantage of children’s vulnerabilities, leading to compulsive internet use, diminished self-worth, body dysmorphia, and self harm.
Regulating digital platforms – including age restrictions – will keep children safer and healthier online.”
–Dr. Charlotte Moore Hepburn, Medical Director of the Child Health Policy Accelerator, SickKids
FAQs
Why 16?
Research shows ages 11–15 are when youth are most vulnerable to social media harms. Other countries worldwide are setting similar age limits to delay access until 15 or 16 years old.
What about teens' freedom of expression?
Free expression means freedom from manipulation by addictive digital design. These platforms limit youth freedom more than enhance them.
- 82% of Gen Z call social media “addicting”, according to a 2024 Harris Poll.
- TikTok’s own documents show it can become addictive after just 35 minutes.
We already restrict kids from driving and gambling because the potential for harm is too great. Kids deserve the same protection from social media.
Do teens want age restrictions?
Yes. 76% of teens (14-17 years old) support age restrictions on social media according to the Quebec Select Committee Report from May 2025.
How will this be enforced?
Social media platforms are responsible for preventing underage kids from creating accounts. Enforcement combines:
- Privacy-preserving age restriction technologies (i.e., that do not save or share data, and is used only for access)
- Media company penalties for non-compliance.
Similar verification already works for online gambling sites today.
Which platforms will be affected?
Covered: commercial social platforms with user-generated media content and algorithmic feeds or discovery (e.g., TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Discord, and similar media platforms).
Exclusions: essential services such as educational platforms, health services, and basic messaging tools.
What about marginalized teens who find community online?
Community matters. But social media’s design often increases cyberbullying, hate speech, and even radicalization for vulnerable youth. This law ensures any online communities they join are safer and healthier.
Why not just better education instead?
Education is essential. But social media platforms are designed to addict (likes, infinite scroll, variable rewards, etc.) and mounting research shows its harms last.
Education + protective guardrails delaying exposure to 16 is the most effective approach.
What about privacy rights for youth?
The legislation strengthens youth privacy rights:
- Bans the share/sale of minors’ data, limiting profiling and ad targeting.
- Age restriction technology uses minimal data that is not stored.
We want Canada to raise children’s privacy rights to international standards.
