PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT to demand common-sense safeguards that protect kids online, just like we do in every other part of our lives
Our kids deserve to be safe online—safe to learn, play and grow
The problem we face
It's really hard to be a young person online right now. Canadian kids are exposed to sexual exploitation, cyber bullying and online scams every minute of every day. The Internet should be a place of discovery, not danger.
The hard truth? Big Tech isn't interested in keeping our kids safe- they are interested in making money. Just as we added seatbelts to cars, we need sensible laws that protect our freedom of expression online and hold foreign tech companies accountable.
Don't leave it to Big Tech to protect our kids online.
Join us in the pledge for Safer Online Spaces.
The opportunity for real change
If our politicians are truly focused on the right things, it starts with our kids.
We're asking for simple, common-sense rules to make the Internet safer for kids- like age-appropriate content, built-in safety features, and public interest regulation of foreign tech companies.
At a time like no other in our history, we need to stand together as Canadians and demand that our politicians hold foreign tech companies accountable.
What does the data tell us?
A lot. The toll on our youth is both hidden and explicit.
1 in 3
adolescents reported unhealthy psychological symptoms from social media use.1
71%
of young Canadians reported seeing online hate content.2
45,816
incidents of online child pornography reported by police in Canada from 2014 to 2022.3
1 in 3
survivors of child sexual abuse have been recognized from recorded material.4
46%
of adolescents say social media worsens their body image.5
We are physically threatened, racially abused, sexually harassed and body shamed. Online violence is serious. It causes real harm and it's silencing our voices.
6
Join thousands of Canadians demanding foreign tech companies make life
online better and safer for our kids
I want to help
Who We Are
We represent a wide cross-section of Canadian society: from children’s healthcare providers to civil liberties advocates to philanthropic institutions. We are all proud Canadians and supporters of Canada.
We are calling on our politicians to urgently pass new online safety legislation. Every day, children are harmed by a system designed without their safety in mind. These issues are well-documented: the ongoing spread of child sexual abuse material; addictive platform designs that manipulate attention and behaviour; and the bullying, shaming, and violence that follow young people from their homes to their classrooms and back again.
Foreign social media companies have extraordinary power, yet there is barely any oversight of their business practices. These companies have effectively taken over the public square but they do not serve the public interest. A new law and a new regulator are needed to protect our safety and our rights. These companies must be accountable to the Canadian people.
The Safer Online Spaces campaign is funded by Reset Tech and The Waltons Trust and powered by our partners.
Our Partners Include
Looking for more information?
Don't just take our word for it—look into the research and you'll see the facts speak for themselves. Studies from around the world show the real impact of unregulated social media on kids' mental health, safety and well-being.
