Canada’s regulator leads on children’s privacy, now lawmakers must follow 

Canada’s Privacy Commissioner just announced a children’s privacy code. Now, the newly elected Government must seize the moment and make the protection of children’s rights and privacy online a national priority.

Building on its work on children’s best interests, deceptive design, and age assurance, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) has made children’s privacy a strategic priority and recently announced it will develop a children’s privacy code. This marks a significant step toward upholding the rights of Canadian children in the digital environment, signalling Canada’s growing commitment to tackling the urgent need for stronger protections for children online. 

Canada’s newly inaugurated Government and Parliament now have a critical opportunity to match this leadership and answer Canadians’ growing concerns, by making the protection of children’s rights and privacy online a national priority.  

According to the latest research commissioned by the OPC, 93% of Canadian parents are worried about the amount of personal information companies are collecting about their children, and 74% do not trust companies to protect that information. Moreover, 7 in 10 Canadians support stronger regulation of digital products and services. The public is ready for change – now lawmakers must act. 

By building on international best practices including the UK’s Age-Appropriate Design Code, Canadian legislators can ensure digital products and services meet the specific needs and rights of children by design and default. 

As reaffirmed by G7 Data Protection and Privacy Authorities, delivering the strong privacy protections children deserve by design not only benefits children but it also drives economic success and societal growth. 

Speaking at the 2025 OPC Privacy Symposium on Youth Privacy in a Digital Age – held alongside the G7 Data Protection and Privacy Authorities Roundtable – 5Rights Head of International Affairs Marie-Ève Nadeau, outlined: 

“As children’s personal data is being collected, shared, and monetised at unprecedented pace and scale, Canada has a unique opportunity to stand with children. By aligning with international best practices, legislators can reaffirm democratic values, ensure accountability, and champion rights-respecting innovation to build the digital world Canadian children deserve.” 

Canadian children deserve robust regulation that ensures tech companies uphold their rights, privacy, and safety by design and default. Lawmakers now have both the opportunity and responsibility to put meaningful guardrails in place for a tech sector that has been left to set its own rules for too long by mandating upstream, proactive, and systemic due diligence.