Report says online harms are the top threat to Canadian children

A new Children First Canada report says online harms are now the biggest threat facing children in Canada. The annual Raising Canada report argues that digital risks are affecting kids across age groups, from early childhood through adolescence, and are increasingly linked to mental health, safety, and development. The group is urging the federal government to strengthen the Safe Social Media Act this fall. The proposed law would require social media platforms to keep children under 16 off their services and would also push platforms to add ageappropriate features, warning labels, safer search settings, and tools to reduce addictive design. Children First Canada founder and CEO Sara Austin said the concern is no longer limited to teens on social media, and that families should talk more openly about the apps and devices children use. The report also cites Canada’s lower rankings on child wellbeing measures and says online child sexual exploitation reports have risen sharply in recent years.