Canada targets teen access with sweeping digital-safety bill

Canada unveiled the Digital Safety Act, which would bar social media for anyone under 16 unless platforms meet strict safety standards, and create a digital regulator to oversee AI chatbots. The bill would require platforms to identify and mitigate risks, implement safety-focused design features, provide tools to block or flag content, and remove non-consensual intimate-image content within 24 hours of flagging. Penalties could reach 3% of global revenue or C$10 million. When enacted, the government says the laws will protect children’s mental health, with regulator setup expected within about 18 months and passage possibly taking a year.