Age-gating social media may sound like a strong solution, but the alcohol and tobacco analogy is incomplete. Those products are not just age-restricted, they are heavily regulated, with accountability placed on those who sell and profit from them. If Canada wants meaningful online safety, the focus must also be on regulating harmful platform design, not just restricting youth access.

Headlines say the courts proved social media is addictive and driving a mental health crisis. They didn’t. These U.S. cases focused on design liability, not clinical addiction. What they did show is that platform design can influence behaviour and companies have a responsibility to reduce harm. Understanding that difference matters for how we guide youth online.

The New Mexico and LA social media rulings confirm what many have long suspected: platform design can contribute to harm for some youth. But if we stop at blame, we miss the bigger issue. These platforms shape behaviour by design. The real question is not just accountability, it’s whether we are preparing our kids to understand and navigate what comes next.