The Canadian Identity Minister, Marc Miller, has signalled that the government may broaden Bill C‑34 – the digital safety legislation that imposes an under‑16 ban on social‑media sites – to include gaming platforms such as Roblox and Discord. In an interview on Friday, Mr Miller said the current proposal would not cover games because they are “a different beast – a menacing one at that,” but he would “absolutely consider” using secondary regulations to tighten safety measures for children who interact with adults online. The move comes as child‑protection advocates warn that predators are exploiting gaps in the law, and as tech giants like Meta push for a wider net that would capture all spaces where young users gather.
Gaming Platforms Fall Outside Current Ban
Bill C‑34’s core provision would force social‑media companies to block any user under the age of 16 from holding an account. Companies can seek exemptions if they demonstrate to a new digital‑safety regulator that they have robust safeguards in place. However, the legislation explicitly excludes gaming platforms, which often feature chat functions that allow minors to communicate with adults. Mr Miller acknowledged that this omission is a cause for concern, noting that “there are all the more than anecdotal stories that we are hearing about predation and sexual exploitation in particular.” He added that he has met with several gaming firms and warned that a failure to introduce protective features could make them subject to future regulation. “The more you start to behave in that way, the more you attract regulation,” he said, “and certainly all signs are indicating that they should be.”
Calls for Broader Coverage from Tech Giants
Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, has been vocal about the need for a more expansive definition of “social‑media” in the bill. In an Ottawa conference discussing Bill C‑34, Jill Briggs, Meta’s manager of public policy in Canada, said the company is not opposed to an under‑16 ban, but wants it to apply to “all the spaces where kids are so they don’t move to unregulated platforms.” She argued that the legislation should cover platforms of all sizes, not just the major social‑media sites. “We want to see broad scope,” Ms Briggs told The Globe and Mail, “so we want it not to just apply to the big platforms.” The tech giant is also eager to understand what standards would be required for exemption, suggesting those criteria be written into the bill itself rather than left to later regulations.
Regulatory Options and Committee Review
Mr Miller outlined several mechanisms through which gaming could be brought under the bill’s umbrella. He mentioned the possibility of “carv[ing] in certain aspects of gaming through an OIC [Order in Council] process,” indicating that executive orders could be used to add specific requirements. Potential measures include “proper age verification” and “having proper parental controls for a certain age group.” The minister stressed that the government would listen to suggestions in committee and would be “very open to having it looked at.” He also highlighted that some platforms already have safety features, such as age‑restricted messaging, and that these could serve as models for broader industry standards.
International Comparisons and Legal Precedents
The proposed under‑16 ban follows Australia’s similar initiative, which has already prompted children to migrate to smaller platforms like Roblox that were not captured by that country’s law. Critics point to the February shooting in British Columbia, where court documents revealed that the perpetrator used Discord to coordinate logistics of the attack on a B.C. school. The shooter had also sought advice from OpenAI’s chatbot, underscoring the broader concerns about AI‑driven content in the digital safety debate. The minister’s comments come amid growing parliamentary scrutiny, with Conservative heritage critic Rachael Thomas noting that parents she meets frequently raise worries about grooming and exploitation on gaming sites.
Why it Matters
The potential extension of Bill C‑34 to gaming platforms marks a pivotal step in Canada’s effort to close regulatory loopholes that predators exploit to reach children. While the current focus is on social‑media sites, the reality of modern childhood means that many young Canadians spend significant time within gaming ecosystems where chat and interaction are prevalent. By moving to regulate these spaces, Ottawa would align its child‑protection framework with the platforms where children actually spend their time, reducing the incentive for them to migrate to unregulated services. Moreover, the involvement of major tech firms like Meta signals a rare industry consensus on the need for comprehensive safeguards, suggesting that the forthcoming regulatory changes could set a robust precedent for digital safety not only in Canada but for other jurisdictions watching the evolving landscape of online child protection.
