The Nova Scotia Liberals want to ban social media for children under 16.
They tabled the bill at province house on the first day of the fall session. They say it would protect youth from the harmful effects of apps like Instagram and YouTube.
Nova Scotians want to do everything they can to protect their kids, says Liberal leader Derek Mombourquette.
“In this world where social media is rapidly changing every day, we need to continue to have the conversation,” said Mombourquette.
“I’ve talked to many families, and I’ve also talked to students who have told me their stories about the anxiety and the stress that they have felt, or their friends have felt about being on social media, the dangers of it.”
The ban would cover any social media platform where at least two people can communicate or share content, like videos or photos.
Three government ministers wrote an op-ed Wednesday to say the bill had good intentions, but a ban would fall under federal responsibility.
“Growing up today isn’t like it was five, 10, 15 years ago. Thanks to social media, life is both under a microscope and amplified far beyond our local communities,” the op-ed begins.
They said the province has already banned cellphones in schools in part to tackle the harm of social media use during the school day.
Nova Scotia students between kindergarten and Grade 6 must keep their phones off and out of sight during the school day. For Grades 7 to 12, phones are banned during class, and individual schools can decide if students are allowed to use them outside of class.
Education Minister Brendan Maguire, one of the authors of the op-ed, said if the federal government started the conversation, the PCs would be willing to discuss it.
Mombourquette mentioned that Australia passed legislation to ban social media for children under 16. But according to an article from the BBC, enforcing it could require some kind of identification.
Maguire said that he appreciates the sentiment of the bill.
“This is a discussion that should have started 15 years ago around social media,” said Maguire.
“But again, I’m really not comfortable uploading my own but also my children uploading their ID or face recognition to Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk.”
Mombourquette said that, while the PCs may not support the bill, he hopes it starts a larger conversation about the harm of social media on young people.
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