Here's What Canada's Social Media Ban Means For Teenagers

Here’s What Canada’s Social Media Ban Means For Teenagers

By Alexa Leung · May 7, 2026

It’s been a hot topic for some time now: should kids be banned from accessing social media? Australia was the first to implement the country-wide prohibition on under 16-year-olds from using social media in December 2025, and many other countries have considered following them, Canada included.

But besides how the implementation should happen, how long it will take for it to kick in, and a whole load of other details, what does a social media ban really mean for teens?

Australia’s Prohibition

Australia’s social media ban outlines that under-16s are outright banned from using major social media services. This includes TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, Threads, and X. Any existing profiles were deactivated once the ban was implemented, and no new accounts can be made.

The primary goal of the ban is to reduce the negative impact of social media on youths. According to the Australian government, social media is designed to encourage young people to “spend more time on screens, while also serving up content that can harm their health and wellbeing.”

social media ban canada — Photo: Vitaly Gariev

A commissioned 2025 study found that 96% of children aged 10-15 used social media. Seven out of 10 of them had been exposed to harmful content. This ranges all the way from violent material to content that promotes eating disorders.

Cyberbullying and grooming behavior was also often reported.

Banning Social Media In Canada

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew announced in April that he plans to make Manitoba the first Canadian province to ban social media and AI chatbots for youths. The premier did not mention the age range that the ban would apply to, or how it will be enforced.

The province intends to follow Australia’s approach by requiring social media companies to take the steps to prevent under-16s from having an account on their platforms.

Planning is still in its early stages for this proposed ban. While reports show that the majority of Canadians agree that a social media ban for youths is a good idea (75% via Angus Reid Institute), it is unclear how, when or if this prohibition will ever take effect in Canada.