NDP, Conservatives still mulling stance on online harms bill, social media age cap

OTTAWA – The Conservatives and the NDP aren’t offering opinions yet on the online harms bill introduced by the federal Liberal government Wednesday.

The bill includes a high-profile plan to force social media companies to ban kids under 16 from their platforms.

A spokesperson for the Conservatives said the party is looking at the bill.

“Protecting children online is a top priority for Conservatives and we will take time to carefully examine the bill and hear from parents and stakeholders to determine whether it adequately protects children, while safeguarding privacy,” a spokesperson said in an email.

A statement from NDP Leader Avi Lewis says his party is looking at whether the bill effectively addresses the root causes of online harms, like misinformation and sexual exploitation, and is consulting with experts.

It adds the party also will be watching to see how the social media ban for kids is implemented.

“We cannot allow an age verification process to become yet another massive data grab for Big Tech, which is already extracting enormous amounts of personal information from Canadians,” the statement said.

Under Bill C-34, platforms would be able to obtain an exemption to the age restrictions if they put sufficient safeguards in place. The bill also would create a new digital regulator and impose on the companies behind AI chatbots a duty to act responsibly.

Meta and Google said Wednesday evening they were assessing the legislation. TikTok said in a statement it looks forward to “collaborating constructively with the government on this important issue.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2026.