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Written by
Global Team
7th October, 2024

Child online safety at the centre of discussions in Canada 

5Rights was recently invited to Canada to speak at the conference Attention: The Kids Are All Right.  The conference – organised in Toronto by McGill University’s Centre for Media, Technology, and Democracy – brought together academics, lawmakers, and leading civil society experts in the field of children’s rights and online safety.  

A group of people standing and sitting in front of large posters with bold text that reads "ATTENTION: THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT" on a red background. The posters feature partially obscured images of children's faces, with the text overlaid on them. The group is at a conference in Toronto titled “Attention: The Kids Are All Right”, with some standing in a row while others sit, facing toward the camera. The setting suggests a formal or professional gathering, with a spotlight on a few attendees and the posters in the background dominating the space.

This event comes at a crucial time for Canada. Amid the looming possibility of a snap election, Canadian lawmakers recently resumed discussions on several Bills that will have profound implications for children’s rights in the digital world. 

In her speech, 5Rights founder and chair, Baroness Beeban Kidron praised Canada’s ongoing legislative effort but emphasised the importance of aligning national legislation with global best practices to ensure that children’s rights and best interests remain central. Speaking on the exploitation of children’s attention, she said:

“A child is no match for a digital product in which dozens of months, hundreds of hours, and millions of dollars have been invested to capture users’ attention. It’s an unfair fight, that undermines the rights, best interest, development, and safety of a child.”

Baroness Beeban Kidron, 5Rights’ Founder and Chair.

The Canadian Parliament is currently considering several pieces of legislation, including Bills C-27 (Digital Charter Implementation Act) and C-63 (Online Harms Act) in the House of Commons, while Bill S-210 (Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act) nears its final report stage. In parallel, Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner introduced Bill C-412 (Promotion of Safety in the Digital Age Act) following the summer recess. 

Each of these Bills has shown significant promise to bolster the protection of children’s rights in the digital world in line with international best practices. Notably, the Online Harms Act seeks to introduce an overarching duty on companies to protect children, with a Commission established to draft an implementing regulatory code.  

As Baroness Kidron aptly said during her keynote,

“Technology will play a significant role in children’s future, and the world they build will depend on the technology they inherit.”

Baroness Beeban Kidron, 5Rights’ Founder and Chair.

The image shows Baroness Beeban Kidron speaking at a podium during a conference in Toronto titled "ATTENTION: THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT." She is addressing a seated audience in a formal dining setting. The room features ornate, wood-paneled walls with detailed wallpaper in a pastoral design. The audience members, some of whom are listening attentively, are seated around tables set with glassware.

Now, Canadian lawmakers have the unique opportunity to ensure that the technology children inherit enforces the highest standards for safety and privacy by design and default. By strengthening these bills and aligning them with international standards, these pieces of legislation have the potential to go further in recognising the rights of children and to provide meaningful protection. 

Alongside 5Rights, the conference featured other prominent speakers, including Justice Minister Arif Virani, whistleblower Frances Haugen, as well as EU Commissioners Věra Jourová (Values and Transparency) and Margrethe Vestager (Competition). Together, these experts called for legislation to be followed by robust enforcement to meaningfully deliver for children’s rights and safety. 

By building on the strength of what has come before, and the evidence-based, complementary global standards, Canada’s latest Bills can contribute to tackling the harms children experience online and build truly age-appropriate experiences for children in Canada.  

5Rights will continue to support Canadian legislators on these Bills, emphasising alignment with global international standards grounded in children’s rights and best interests.