Premier Holt backs social media ban for kids | #childpredator | #kidsaftey | #childsaftey

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Premier Susan Holt wrote a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney last week urging the federal government to ban social media for children under 16 years old.

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That’s while also requesting legislation that prohibits targeted advertising directed at minors.

The letter, obtained by Brunswick News, goes as far as to say that if the feds don’t fully address concerns “swiftly,” her government will.

The words come as the Carney government is expected to table legislation on Wednesday to restrict access to social media for young Canadians.

On Tuesday, Holt suggested she’s helped push action over the line.

“This is something that New Brunswick is prepared to move on,” Holt said. “We’re optimistic that the federal government has heard our calls and are going to act on this.”

Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters in Ottawa on Tuesday that the government “will be taking steps to protect people’s data, their privacy and their children.”

Federal Canadian Identity Minister Marc Miller also said that “it’s obvious why it’s priority.

“Kids are dying,” Miller said.

Holt’s letter, dated June 5, starts by stating that educators, parents, pediatric health professionals, and child development experts across Canada “are raising concerns about the measurable impact social media is having on young people’s mental health, development, and well-being.”

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“Research has consistently linked heavy social media use to increased rates of anxiety, depression, and self-harm among adolescents, particularly girls aged 10 to 14,” Holt continued.

“These platforms are engineered to maximize engagement, often by promoting emotionally charged and harmful content, while targeted advertising capitalizes on the vulnerabilities of young users.

“As a parent of three young girls, I see these impacts firsthand every day.”

Holt adds that while New Brunswick’s education system is actively working to prepare students to thrive in a technology-driven world, the efforts are increasingly “undermined” by social media platforms whose business models are not designed around the well-being of children.

The letter notes that, in unveiling a national artificial intelligence strategy last month, Carney said that the feds would be strengthening protections in new online safety legislation.

“With the pending tabling of new online safety legislation, I urge the federal government to include a social media ban that establishes a minimum age of 16 for social media platforms,” Holt wrote in her letter.

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“Recognizing that no system is perfect and that young people will continue to access the broader online ecosystem, I also urge your government ensure that this legislation prohibits targeted advertising directed at minors and restricts algorithmic content feeds for minors.”

She adds that if the feds don’t move, her government will.

“Should federal action not fully address these concerns swiftly, New Brunswick is prepared to deploy the tools and legislative measures available within provincial jurisdiction to strengthen protections for children and youth online,” Holt said.

Australia became the world’s first country to ban social media for children under 16 in December last year.

Its legislation forced major platforms to block minors under 16.

Within a month, Australian officials reported that social media companies had removed about 4.7 million accounts.

Other countries have followed with varying regimes.

China’s cyberspace regulator has introduced “minor mode,” which includes limits on screen time depending on age.

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Denmark said in November 2025 that the government had reached an agreement to implement a minimum age requirement of 15 years old on certain social media platforms. However, parents will be able to grant access to certain ⁠platforms for children aged 13 or older.

Lawmakers in France have passed a bill that would ban social media use by under-15s in January, but it requires Senate approval.

Germany allows minors aged 13 to 16 to use social media only with parental consent. Then in February, Germany’s ruling conservatives passed a motion to ban social media use for under-14s and introduce more stringent digital verification checks for teenagers.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to announce a ban later this month.

Federal legislation in Canada is expected to be tabled on Wednesday and will include provisions that allow platforms to seek exemptions if they can demonstrate that their platforms adequately protect young users.

The bill follows previous failed attempts by the federal Liberals to introduce online harms legislation.

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The Trudeau government’s Bill C-63 proposed requiring platforms to submit annual safety plans outlining how they would reduce users’ exposure to harmful content, but the bill died in Parliament in early 2025.

Asked how an age-based ban would work if it required giving social media companies more data, including a date of birth, Holt said Canada can learn from Australia, referencing “age gates” needed to set up accounts.

Asked if she has similar concerns with AI, Holt referenced the warnings of cyber security experts.

“We see that anything that has this addictive component, that is designed to draw kids in and drive engagement and drive them towards content that can be harmful, is proving to be dangerous,” she said.

More to come …

-With files from Andrew Waugh

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