Roundtable to examine Canada's proposed Safe Social Media Act

The federal government is set to hold a roundtable discussion on Monday to examine the proposed Safe Social Media Act, known as Bill C-34, as consultations continue on new digital safety measures.

According to the government, Canadian Culture Minister Mark Miller will co-chair the discussion with British Columbia Member of Parliament Patrick Weiler. The meeting is expected to focus on key provisions of the proposed legislation and broader digital safety regulations.

The government introduced Bill C-34 in the House of Commons in June. The proposed legislation would prohibit children under the age of 16 from using social media platforms and introduce measures aimed at improving the safety of social media services and AI chatbots. The bill does not propose an age restriction for AI chatbots.

Miller has previously described AI chatbots as a rapidly evolving technology, saying they can pose risks to children while also serving as valuable educational tools. The roundtable is expected to gather feedback on the proposed framework before the legislation advances through the parliamentary process.