Canada has introduced legislation that could bar children under 16 from having social media accounts unless companies can prove their platforms are safe. The bill would require platforms to obtain exemptions by demonstrating adequate safeguards.

The legislation targets seven categories of harmful content, including material that encourages self-harm, incites violence or hatred, and non-consensual intimate images. It would establish a Digital Safety Commission of Canada, though exemption criteria will be announced later. Culture Minister Marc Miller said creating the regulator could take up to 18 months. Canada joins countries including Australia, Brazil and Indonesia in imposing or proposing age-based social media restrictions.