Why the Conversation About Social Media and Youth Needs More Nuance
Canada is taking a significant step toward addressing online safety for children.
This week, the federal government is tabling legislation that would ban social media platforms from allowing Canadian children under the age of 16 to create and maintain accounts. Under the proposed online safety bill, technology companies could apply for exemptions if they can demonstrate that their platforms meet strict safety standards designed to protect young users.
The legislation would also establish new responsibilities for AI chatbots, requiring safeguards and accountability measures to reduce potential harms to children and youth. The proposal comes after years of advocacy from child safety organizations and growing concerns about cyberbullying, online exploitation, harmful content, and the impact of social media on youth mental health.
The conversation is not limited to Ottawa. Here in Manitoba, Premier Wab Kinew has also expressed support for restricting social media access for children under 16, reflecting a broader national discussion about how best to protect young people in an increasingly digital world.
As a parent, I understand why governments are paying attention.
Every day, children interact with platforms designed by some of the most sophisticated technology companies in the world. These companies invest billions of dollars into creating products that keep users engaged, scrolling, watching, clicking, and returning. Parents often feel as though they are competing against systems specifically designed to capture and hold their children’s attention.
There is no question that online safety deserves serious attention.
But as a Deaf parent raising Deaf children, I believe there is another side of this conversation that deserves equal consideration.
The Internet Was More Than Entertainment for Me
When I was growing up, the internet was not simply a source of entertainment.
It was a gateway to a world that often felt out of reach.
As a Deaf youth living in Winnipeg, my opportunities to connect with other Deaf peers were naturally limited. While Winnipeg has a strong Deaf community, it is considerably smaller than those found in larger cities such as Toronto or Vancouver. The reality was that there were only so many Deaf youth my age that I could meet and interact with locally.
The internet changed that.
Long before smartphones and today’s social media platforms, I spent countless hours in chatrooms, instant messaging services, and early social networking websites such as AIM, MySpace, Friendster, and AsianAvenue.
Those platforms gave me opportunities that extended far beyond socializing.
They helped me improve my literacy and English communication skills. They exposed me to pop culture, current events, and trends happening outside of Winnipeg. They allowed me to participate in conversations with people from different backgrounds and experiences. Most importantly, they connected me with friends across Canada and the United States.
Those interactions helped build my confidence and gave me a stronger sense of belonging in a world that often felt inaccessible.
Looking back, those online connections played a meaningful role in my personal growth and development.
What About Deaf Children Today?
This is why I believe we need to be careful when discussing blanket restrictions on social media access for young people.
For many Deaf children living in rural communities or areas with limited resources, online platforms can serve a much larger purpose than entertainment or casual socializing.
They can be critical tools for identity development, language access, peer connection, mentorship, and community building.
Imagine being a Deaf child living in a small town where you are the only Deaf student in your school. You may rarely, if ever, have the opportunity to interact with another Deaf child your age. You may not have easy access to Deaf role models, mentors, or a larger Deaf community.
Online communities can help bridge that gap.
They can provide opportunities to connect with other Deaf youth, learn from Deaf adults, explore Deaf culture, access information, and develop a stronger sense of identity and belonging.
For some children, these online spaces are not simply optional social networks. They are lifelines to a broader community that may not exist in their immediate environment.
That reality should be part of the conversation.
The Problem Isn’t Simply Access
At the heart of this debate is a larger question.
Is the issue that children have access to social media?
Or is the issue that social media platforms have not done enough to create safe environments for children?
I believe the answer is the latter.
Technology companies control the algorithms that determine what content children see. They design the features that encourage prolonged engagement. They decide how recommendations work, how safety tools are implemented, and how harmful content is moderated.
Parents certainly have a responsibility to guide and monitor their children’s online experiences.
But it should not be the sole responsibility of parents to outsmart systems intentionally designed to maximize engagement.
When policymakers discuss protecting children online, accountability should not rest entirely on families.
Technology companies must also be held accountable for the products they create.
What Real Protection Should Look Like
If social media companies want exemptions under Canada’s proposed legislation, the standards should be meaningful.
Success should not be measured solely by whether a platform can verify a user’s age.
Success should be measured by outcomes.
Are children safer?
Are cyberbullying rates decreasing?
Are harmful content recommendations being reduced?
Are vulnerable youth being protected from exploitation?
Are platforms designing products that prioritize wellbeing instead of engagement at all costs?
These are the questions that matter.
A social media ban may sound protective, but if children easily find ways around restrictions while harmful platform designs remain unchanged, we have not solved the underlying problem.
The goal should be to make online spaces safer, not simply harder to access.
A Balanced Approach
I support efforts to protect children online.
As a parent, I want my children to be safe from harmful content, cyberbullying, exploitation, and addictive platform designs.
At the same time, I do not want us to overlook the positive role that online communities can play, particularly for children who face barriers to communication, connection, and belonging.
For Deaf youth, online platforms can provide opportunities that may not exist locally. They can foster friendships, build confidence, strengthen communication skills, and connect children to communities that help shape their identity.
As Canadians debate the future of social media regulation, I hope we avoid framing this issue as a simple choice between unrestricted access and outright bans.
The real challenge is creating digital environments that are both safe and meaningful.
Protecting children online is important. But true protection requires more than legislation alone. It requires technology companies to take responsibility for the environments they create, policymakers to consider the diverse needs of young people, and parents to remain engaged in their children’s digital lives.
As a Deaf parent, I want my children to have the same opportunities for connection, learning, and growth that helped shape my own journey.
The challenge before us is finding a way to preserve those opportunities while ensuring that children can explore the online world safely.
That is a goal worth pursuing.