Manitoba premier signals plan to restrict youth access to social media, AI chatbots

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says his government intends to introduce a ban on children using social media platforms and artificial intelligence chatbots, but key details, including the age threshold, have not yet been specified.

Kinew made the announcement at the Manitoba NDP’s annual spring fundraising dinner, where he said Manitoba would be the first province to pursue such a policy. It is not yet clear what legislative or regulatory mechanism the province would use, or when a bill could be introduced.

According to remarks delivered at the event, the proposed restrictions would apply to both social media services and AI chatbot tools. The province has not released draft legislation or a formal policy framework outlining enforcement, exemptions, or how age verification would be handled.

The proposal echoes measures introduced in Australia aimed at limiting youth access to certain online platforms. It is not confirmed whether Manitoba’s approach would mirror those rules or adapt them to Canadian regulatory structures.