Manitoba moves to ban youth from social media, AI platforms

Manitoba’s government says it’s preparing new legislation that would block young people from using social media platforms and artificial intelligence chatbots. The plan was announced Saturday by Premier Wab Kinew during a speech in Winnipeg.

Details are still not fully ironed out. The province has not set an age threshold, enforcement rules, or a timeline for when the proposed restrictions would take effect. Kinew also did not take questions from reporters following the announcement, according to the CBC.

Speaking to about 900 attendees at a New Democratic Party fundraising event, Kinew slammed major tech platforms for how they operate. "They're doing these very awful things to kids all in the name of a few likes, all in the name of more engagement, and all in the name of money," he said. "More money for a group of rich tech bros who already have a ton."

"These platforms are not neutral. They have been built this way to maximize engagement," Kinew said. "They amplify comparisons between yourself and artificial standards, they amplify outrage and they expose kids to content they're not ready for."

If passed, the measure would be the first of its kind in Canada. Ottawa has signaled interest in similar restrictions, and lawmakers in several provinces are weighing comparable proposals.

The move comes as other countries adopt tighter controls. Australia implemented a nationwide rule in December requiring platforms to take steps to block users under 16 or face financial penalties. The policy applies to major services including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X, Snapchat, Twitch, Kick, and YouTube, with fines reaching up to $48.8 million CAD for non-compliance.

Tech analyst Carmi Levy said early data from Australia suggests millions of youth accounts were deactivated in the first month. "At the same time, we also have evidence that kids are simply shifting their attention to other platforms that were not included in the ban," Levy said, noting that AI tools were not covered under the Australian law.

Levy said Manitoba appears to be expanding its approach. "They will recognize that AI poses as significant as or even worse a risk than social media does, and that it has to be included in any kind of legislation that ultimately takes place."