The Canadian Medical Association is pushing for a federal ban on social media accounts for children under 16, pointing to a surge in clinical visits for anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. Launched in June 2026, the Heal Childhood campaign urges Parliament to pass Bill C-34, a legislative package introduced originally in June 2025 by Marc Miller, Canada’s Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture.
Clinicians across the country report that digital harms are increasingly showing up in clinics and hospitals. The proposed legislation would ban children under 16 from creating social media accounts, unless the platform can show that it has adequate safeguards in place to protect children’s mental health. It also proposes a Digital Safety Commission to shape regulations governing social media and online technology on an ongoing basis.
Physicians Report Rising Mental Health Crises in Canadian Clinics
Physicians treating adolescents state that “mental illness is now a greater proportion of their practice compared to earlier in their careers.” Bolu Ogunyemi, MD, president of the Canadian Medical Association, notes that anxiety, suicide attempts, and eating disorders are increasingly driving physical ailments. Pediatricians and child psychiatrists add that attention spans are down, sleep is down, and conditions like ADHD are getting worse among youth.
The Canadian Medical Association has rewritten its code of ethics to make social justice and anti-racism part of the professional duties of Canadian doctors.https://t.co/dC0pCM32sn
In his dermatology practice, Ogunyemi observes young patients—particularly girls—presenting with skin image concerns directly tied to content they see online. They seek medical management for conditions that are perfectly normal. While acknowledging that declining physical activity and other factors contribute to the youth mental health crisis, Ogunyemi maintains that it’s “common sense” that social media is a major contributor.
Sterling Sparshu, MD, a child and adolescent psychiatrist based in Calgary, Alberta, echoes these observations. He identifies sleep as the biggest issue he sees disrupted by screens. Notifications pull children awake in the middle of the night, while autoplay video loops keep them tethered to screens. Algorithms designed to maximize engagement routinely funnel young users searching for basic nutritional advice into digital spaces promoting disordered eating.
The Clinical Evidence Behind Social Media Detoxes
Empirical data measuring the psychological toll of digital platforms remains complex, partly because technology has developed so rapidly that it’s hard for research to keep up. Furthermore, major platforms are not sharing their usage or engagement data and are not transparent about their algorithms.
Despite these barriers, researchers point to controlled intervention studies demonstrating clear behavioral improvements when young people disconnect. Amori Mikami, PhD, a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia, highlights a study published in JAMA Network Open. That research revealed a roughly 16% reduction in anxiety symptoms and an almost 25% drop in depression symptoms among young adults aged 18 to 24 after a one-week social media detox.
Mikami also led a randomized trial tracking 393 Canadians aged 17 to 29 with elevated mental health symptoms. Participants encouraged to abstain from social media for 6 weeks had reduced depression and anxiety symptoms, while those coached to build meaningful online connections saw drops in loneliness and fear of missing out, though their depression and anxiety scores remained unchanged.
Debating Blanket Age Bans Versus Digital Literacy
The medical community remains divided on the mechanics of enforcement. Mikami cautions against blanket age restrictions, arguing that teenagers are likely to circumvent such barriers and that bans don’t help adolescents develop the skills necessary to navigate online environments safely. Her preferred framework relies on large-scale public health initiatives that teach families how to recognize online interactions that cause harm.
Ogunyemi argues that hypothetical possibilities should not stand in the way of age bans. Proponents of the legislation argue that the burden of safety has fallen unfairly on households for too long. Families are currently expected to out-engineer technology companies through manual screen-time limits and blocking apps.
The proposed Digital Safety Commission aims to ensure regulations balance privacy protections, evaluate the effects of bans and other efforts, and adapt solutions accordingly.
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