The British Columbia (B.C.) government is advocating for the Canadian federal government to spearhead a ban on social media usage for individuals under 16 years old. This initiative follows Manitoba's recent announcement of plans to restrict social media and chatbot access for youth. Attorney General Niki Sharma stated that B.C. has communicated its regulatory expectations to the federal government, including the establishment of age-appropriate design standards and mandatory compliance for online platforms. Public sentiment supports these measures, with a March poll by the Angus Reid Institute indicating that 75% of Canadians favor a complete ban on social media for those under 16. However, concerns about the effectiveness of such bans persist, particularly highlighted by early reviews of Australia's similar legislation, which showed that 70% of youth under 16 found ways to bypass the restrictions. Digital literacy advocate Carol Todd, who lost her daughter to online predation, questions whether a ban is the best solution. The federal government has been drafting an online harms bill for over two years, aiming to balance protection with privacy, but some experts warn against hastily enacted legislation. Should the federal government fail to act, B.C. may consider following Manitoba's lead in establishing its own regulations.