Most Canadians want social media, AI chatbot ban for kids under 16, poll indicates
The poll of 1,848 respondents found 70% support social media limits and 69% back AI chatbot restrictions, with more than 80% concerned about harms to youth.
- A new Leger poll indicates more than two-thirds of Canadians support restricting social media and AI chatbots for children under 16. Specifically, 70 per cent back age limits for Instagram and TikTok, while 69 per cent support restrictions for ChatGPT.
- Culture Minister Marc Miller is drafting an online harms bill, while Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew separately announced plans to ban children from using social media and AI chatbots. Miller emphasized that regulating online platforms falls under federal jurisdiction.
- While 55 per cent of respondents believe regulating access is a federal responsibility, 60 per cent expressed skepticism that tech companies could effectively enforce age verification. "Concern from Canadians is pretty high," noted Andrew Enns, Leger's executive vice-president for Central Canada.
- Parents with children under 16 were slightly less supportive, with 27 per cent opposing age restrictions. Just under 40 per cent of respondents worried that banning AI chatbots could "limit their access to useful tools for learning, communication or creativity."
- Global momentum for these restrictions follows Australia's ban last year. Enns noted that recent court verdicts finding Meta and Google liable for harms, alongside the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge involving OpenAI's ChatGPT, may be driving these concerns.
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Canadians Broadly Support Social Media Ban for Kids
New federal polling from Léger measured an unusual degree of consensus — both regional and demographic — in favour of banning social media access for users under the age of 16.Fielded in early May, the new Léger survey finds that an overwhelming majority of Canadians are concerned about the reported harms of social media use on children and teenagers. Above all, this sense of concern is remarkably broad and consistent across regions and demograp…
Most Canadians Want Kids Under 16 Off Social Media and AI Chatbots
According to a new national survey conducted by Leger, a strong majority of Canadians support restricting children’s access to social media and AI chatbots, with concern about the impact of these tools on young people reaching more than eight in ten. The survey finds that 83% of Canadians are concerned about the potential negative impact of social media on children and teenagers, while 81% say the same about AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Claude, …
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