A Saskatchewan government survey has found strong public support for placing limits on social media use for children under 16.
The province says 86.34 per cent of respondents who answered the question supported social media limits for children under 16, while 13.66 per cent were opposed.
The survey gathered responses from communities across Saskatchewan and asked residents for their views on potential restrictions involving platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
Mental Health and Addictions Minister Lori Carr said the results have been shared with the federal government and will help guide Saskatchewan’s involvement in broader discussions about online safety and youth well-being.
“Thank you to the thousands of Saskatchewan residents who took the time to share their views,” Carr said in a release.
Majority favour limits for those 16 and under
Respondents were also asked what age should apply to any potential social media restrictions.
The province said a majority indicated limits should apply to youth aged 16 and under.
While respondents generally supported restrictions across all platforms included in the survey, YouTube was most frequently identified as a platform that should be exempt.
The Saskatchewan government did not provide the total number of survey respondents in the information released.
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Youth organization points to online risks
Youth Matter Canada executive director Laura Lawrence said the Saskatchewan-based organization has spoken with thousands of young people, parents and educators over the past two years through its online harms prevention programming.
Lawrence said concerns have included addictive features on social media platforms, harmful content and online predators.
She said age restrictions could be one part of improving online safety, but education and healthy boundaries around technology use are also needed.
“Age-appropriate access is an important first step, but it can not be the only one,” Lawrence said.
Youth Matter Canada is a non-profit organization focused on youth mental health through education, programming and community engagement.
The Saskatchewan government says the survey results will be used as discussions continue with Ottawa on potential measures aimed at strengthening online protections for children and youth.
