Canada is preparing to reintroduce Bill C-63, the Online Harms Act, in early 2026. As pressure grows to follow Australia’s age-gating model, this article explains why age limits alone miss the real issue. True online safety requires Safety-by-Design legislation that holds platforms accountable for how they are built, how data is used, and how risk is amplified, especially in the age of AI.

To truly create a safe, secure, and harm-free internet, online safety regulations must be applied fairly across all services and devices, not just social media platforms. Only then can we build a genuinely safer online environment for children and everyone else.