As social media is increasingly linked to youth mental health concerns, Canada should consider focusing on how children use these platforms rather than regulating online content, a new report suggests. It argues that content-based regulation could raise concerns about privacy and freedom of expression.
While governments in some countries have introduced policies aimed at reducing online harm to youth by moderating content on social media platforms, enforcing these policies in a consistent and impartial way can be difficult, as definitions of “harmful” content are often subjective and context-dependent, says an April 15 report from the Macdonald-Laurier Institute.
The report, titled “Wired for worry: How smartphones and social media are harming Canadian youth,” examines the link between declining youth mental health and the widespread use of smartphones and social media, as well as the measures adopted by some governments to reduce social media’s impact on youth….