Summary#
Bill 138 would require Ontario’s Minister of Health to create and carry out a plan to restrict social media use by people under age 16. The plan must cover working with the federal government on a national ban for under‑16s, Ontario policies to enforce age limits, and ways to monitor social media companies. The goal appears to be setting clear age restrictions and making sure companies follow them.
- Requires a written “social media age restriction plan” for people under 16.
- The plan must include: a strategy to work with the Government of Canada to ban social media for under‑16s; Ontario enforcement policies with timelines; and policies to monitor providers for compliance.
- The Minister must consult the Minister of Education, the federal Minister of Health, school boards, school councils, and teachers.
- The Minister must table the plan in the Legislative Assembly within one year of the Act taking effect.
- The Minister must ensure the plan is implemented according to its timelines.
- What is unclear: The bill does not itself ban social media, define “social media,” or set specific enforcement tools or penalties. Those details would come in the plan.
What it means for you#
- Parents and youth under 16
- No immediate change to access. The bill creates a plan first.
- In the future, there could be a ban on social media use by under‑16s if the federal government agrees, and Ontario could add enforcement rules. This could mean age checks to sign up or use certain features.
- People 16 and older
- Likely no direct limits on your access. You could see more frequent age checks when creating accounts or using platforms.
- Social media companies and app stores operating in Ontario
- You may face new Ontario policies that enforce age limits for under‑16s and require monitoring or reporting to show compliance.
- The plan could lead to required age‑verification steps or other compliance measures. The exact methods are not specified in the bill.
- Schools, school boards, and teachers
- You will be consulted during plan development. You may be asked for input on how any restrictions affect students and school use of technology.
- Ontario government
- Must develop, table, and implement the plan on set timelines, coordinate with the federal government, and set up monitoring and enforcement approaches.
Expenses#
No publicly available information.
- Developing, consulting on, and implementing the plan could require new government staffing, systems, or contracts for monitoring and enforcement.
- If the plan requires audits, reporting, or age‑verification tools, government administrative costs could rise. No estimate is provided.
- Social media providers could face compliance costs if the plan requires new age‑verification or reporting. The bill does not provide details or amounts.
Proponents' View#
- The bill appears intended to protect children under 16 by creating a path to firm age limits on social media and ensuring those limits are enforced.
- Working with the federal government could make any ban national, which could be more effective for platforms that operate across borders.
- Requiring timelines and tabling the plan in the Legislature could improve transparency and accountability.
- Monitoring providers as part of the plan could help ensure rules are followed, not just recommended.
Opponents' View#
- The bill does not define “social media,” list specific enforcement tools, or set penalties. This may leave key issues to later decisions and create uncertainty for families, schools, and companies.
- Enforcing age limits could require age‑verification systems that raise privacy concerns, especially for minors and families.
- Implementation may be difficult because many platforms are outside Ontario. This could limit how much the province can enforce without federal action.
- A ban for under‑16s could raise questions about freedom of expression and access to information for young people.
- The bill delegates many details to the Minister, so the public cannot assess costs, methods, or impacts until the plan is released.