The federal government introduced a new bill on June 10, 2026 that would ban children under 16 from creating social media accounts and set safety rules for AI chatbots, according to Canadian Heritage.

This is Ottawa's latest attempt to control what young Canadians encounter online. In 2024, the government introduced Bill C-63, which aimed to stop harmful content and make platforms more responsible. That bill didn't pass before an election was called. The new 2026 bill returns to that mission and goes further, adding the age ban and rules for AI chatbots.

What the Bill Would Do

Social media companies would be banned from letting children under 16 create accounts. The responsibility falls on the platforms, not on parents or kids. The trickiest part: how will platforms actually prove a user's age? That's the detail Parliament will examine closely, because if age verification is too complicated or easy to fake, the ban won't work.

The bill also addresses AI chatbots for the first time in Canadian law. These are computer programs you chat with — like the tools that write essays or answer questions. They've become hugely popular with young people. Current privacy laws don't directly cover them, so adding AI chatbot safety rules is brand new territory.

Who Enforces It

Child safety online is complicated by Canada's federal system. The federal government controls some internet matters, but provinces handle other aspects of child welfare. Regulators will need to figure out which agency — the CRTC (which oversees broadcasting and telephones), a new body, or the Privacy Commissioner — will actually enforce these rules.

Several provinces are also working on their own rules. Quebec already has specific laws about how platforms handle young people's data. A national rule could make things simpler, or it could create conflicts.

What Happened Before

This isn't Canada's first attempt to regulate online safety. In 2024, a similar bill stirred up debate over hate speech rules that ended up drowning out discussion of child safety. The new bill appears to focus only on kids and AI, dropping the more controversial parts. That narrower approach might make it easier for Parliament to agree on the bill.

What platforms, child safety groups and provinces are watching for: How does the bill define "social media" (does it count messaging apps and gaming sites, or just Instagram and TikTok?); what obligations will AI chatbot companies face when talking to minors; and how long will platforms have to follow the new rules once it becomes law.

The government has enough seats in Parliament to pass this bill if it wants to, and child safety is popular across party lines. The real question is whether the bill moves forward smoothly or gets bogged down in details during committee.