What to know
- Ontario teen journalist Wyatt Sharpe says Canada’s proposed ban on social media accounts for youth under 16 could be ineffective, arguing many young people already bypass age restrictions through VPNs or by misrepresenting their age.
- Sharpe supports stronger online safety measures but believes regulation and platform accountability would be more effective than a blanket ban.
- He argues that restricting access could push teens toward less regulated online spaces and that policymakers should consult young people before passing legislation that directly affects them.
- The federal government says the proposed legislation is designed to make digital platforms safer for children.
A teen journalist based in Ontario is speaking out against a bill that would prevent youth under 16 from having a social media account.
The social media regulation is part of Bill C-34, the Safe Social Media Act, which is a legislation proposed by the federal government last week that aims to address the harms of technological platforms on young people.
The restrictions mirror a similar policy adopted by the Australian government in December 2025, which prevents children under 16 from creating accounts on social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, X, Facebook, Snapchat and more.
Although the proposal has not officially been approved, some members of the public have been sharing their support for the idea, with some recognizing the harmful effects social media has had for their mental health.
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However, Wyatt Sharpe, a 17-year-old student and host of the digital program The Sharpe Exchange, is raising concerns about the proposed legislation, saying it could lead youth to overrule age verification and access unregulated online spaces.
Teens could find ban loopholes
In an interview with Now Toronto, Sharpe said he does agree that it is important for the government to launch regulations for youth digital usage, recognizing that safety and mental health are a big concern when it comes to members of his generation or younger using social media.
On the other hand, he believes that banning those under 16 from using the platforms isn’t the right way to do it.
“A lot of what the government is doing…is trying to fill a kind of a checkbox, and they’re trying to say that they have addressed this issue without doing it in perhaps the way that they should be doing, which is having regulation as opposed to a blanket ban,” he said.
According to Sharpe, banning these children from creating their social media profiles isn’t keeping them away from the platforms, as many have found loopholes around the system, including using Virtual Private Network (VPNs) or simply lying around their age.
Since the implementation of the ban in Australia, reports have been published suggesting that the ban isn’t being successful in keeping children away from the platforms, with some finding a way to stay online.
In addition, Sharpe said that by using VPNs, a lot of teens might end up in unregulated social media platforms and online spaces, which could lead to further harm that is caused by the platforms they currently use.
“If you’re setting your location to another network and to, therefore, another country, you’re then under those other rules as well of that country, which in some cases will not have the regulation that Canada has,” he said.
“Not using some of these VPN tools will really help ensure that young people are not going into some of these other spaces, and that young people aren’t being drawn into these kind of unhealthy, unsafe environments.”
Teen urges government to consider youth voices
In addition to pointing out potential issues with the ban, Sharpe also raised concerns over the government failing to consider young people’s voices when it comes to deciding policies that directly affect them.
The teen journalist suggests that the government appears to be looking for quicker solutions instead of conducting more extensive research and consultations, which he said could lead to a better outcome.
“The government is looking at parents, and parents are people who have voting rights…whereas the young people who this affects don’t have those same voting rights,” he said.
“When you talk to parents, they’re very much in favour of this, because they see the impact that social media has on their kids, and so as a result, the government is doing this again to please parents.”
Although the voting age in Canada is 18, Sharpe said it’s important for the government to consider youth voices so that they can get a better understanding of the issue in question, and encourage young people to participate in politics.
“Young people have kind of historically not had a lot of trust in institutions, primarily because the institutions have not been serving them, and so by redefining this question and by bringing young people into the political fold, it can help again make sure that their voices are included.”
Ministry of Canadian Identity and Culture says the legislation is about safety
Hermine Landry, Director of Issues Management, Press Secretary and Senior Communications Advisor at the Ministry of Canadian Identity and Culture, tells Now Toronto the bill aims to work with social media and AI chatbots platforms to create a safer space for youth.
In addition, the bill will also create an independent Digital Safety Commission, which will be responsible for enforcing the legislation and handling complaints from citizens.
“We have seen the devastating impacts of online harms, particularly on children. These harms are increasing, and our laws have not kept pace,” she wrote in an email to Now Toronto.
“This bill sets out minimum obligations for social media platforms, user-generated content services, and AI chatbots to make the digital space safer by design.”
Teen urges for consultation, changes in the bill
Meanwhile, Sharpe said he hopes the government would consider lowering the ban for kinds younger than 16, saying having access to the platforms at that age could encourage them to learn about how to safely use them.
“Whether you’re 16, whether you’re 18, there’s not a whole lot of differences, besides the fact that when you’re 16, if you start using these platforms that…you’re going to be using later on, you can learn how to use these more responsibly, which is extremely important,” he said.
In addition, he emphasizes the government should consider consulting with younger Canadians before passing the legislation, and studying how to make the ban more effective.
“Young people [are] the leaders of tomorrow. It sounds cliche, but they are the ones who are going to be voting, but also making decisions.”
