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Online harms have become the single greatest threat to children in Canada, according to a new report from Children First Canada. For the first time since the annual report launched in 2018, digital dangers have risen to the top of the organization’s list of the ten biggest threats facing Canadian children. The report is now calling on the federal government to pass a stronger Safe Social Media Act this fall.
A Growing Crisis for Every Age Group
Children First Canada founder and CEO Sara Austin says the shift reflects a dramatic change in who online harms are affecting. “The issues that kids are experiencing are no longer confined just to teenagers on social media,” Austin said. She noted that children from infancy through adolescence now face impacts on brain development, mental health, and physical activity.
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The report also highlights Canada’s poor standing in global child wellbeing rankings. Canada currently ranks 22nd out of 37 high-income countries on UNICEF’s Child Wellbeing Index. It also ranks 72nd out of 194 countries on the 2026 KidsRights Index.
Online sexual exploitation figures paint an especially alarming picture. The Canadian Centre for Child Protection now receives more than 100,000 reports every single month. Austin added that reports of online sexual exploitation have increased by over 347 per cent over the past decade.
Parents Urged to Stay Engaged
Despite the scale of the problem, Austin says parents should not panic. Instead, she encourages open conversations with children about the devices and apps they use. “Our kids are not to blame,” she said. “Our kids have grown up in a generation where they are exposed to online harms, and we need to be holding the tech companies accountable.”
Austin also pointed out that Canadian teenagers spend an average of five to seven hours a day online. She suggested that parents approach conversations with curiosity rather than suspicion. As a parent herself, she said she asks her teenager what he is seeing, what his friends are talking about, and what they are experiencing. Her goal is to better understand his digital world so she can support him more effectively.
Natalia Kubiak, a mother of young triplets, told Global News that she tries to strike a careful balance. She wants her children to learn how to use technology safely without exposing them to it too early. “I really hope that by the time they are old enough, there will be better safeguards in place,” she said. Kubiak also expressed her support for the Safe Social Media Act.
What the Safe Social Media Act Would Do
The federal government introduced the Safe Social Media Act earlier this year. The legislation would require social media platforms to restrict access for children under 16 years old. However, it would not apply the same restrictions to AI chatbot platforms.
The act aims to establish a clear “duty to protect children” for all online platforms. Under this duty, social media and AI chatbot platforms would need to adopt age-appropriate designs. These include content warning labels, safe search settings for children, and measures to reduce addictive features such as endless scrolling.
Furthermore, platforms would face a “duty to act responsibly” regarding AI chatbot behaviour. This would require companies to reduce the risk of chatbots delivering harmful content. It would also require AI companies to implement crisis intervention protocols when a user expresses a desire to commit violence or self-harm. Children First Canada is urging the government to strengthen the bill before it passes into law this fall.
