Age-gating social media feels decisive, but it targets access while ignoring design. In a world of social AI where interaction is embedded everywhere, bans become a game of whack-a-mole. This article explains why treating digital platforms as products, not playgrounds, and regulating safety by design holds Big Tech accountable while preserving family autonomy and supporting real youth readiness.

Calls to ban youth under 16 from social media are driven by real concern, but age alone is a blunt policy tool. After working with over 680,000 Canadian teens, we see a reality missing from the debate. Many youth are learning, creating, and building skills online. Before drawing a hard age line, we need to ask what opportunities, growth, and potential we may be quietly taking away.

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.