New child safety measures Meta pledged in U.S. settlement not coming to Canada

Attorney for Meta, Paul W. Schmidt, right, walks out of court after tech giant Meta agreed to pay billions as part of a settlement to end a landmark trial over teen social media addiction on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

OTTAWA — New child protection measures Meta has promised as part of a massive legal settlement in the United States won’t be implemented in Canada.

A spokesperson for Meta says the changes to its Facebook and Instagram platforms announced today are specific to the United States.

Meta reached a settlement worth up to US$18 billion that ended a landmark trial over teen social media addiction.

The company agreed to adopt a series of safety features, including two-hour daily time limits that can only be disabled with a parent’s permission.

It will also eliminate push notifications during weekday school hours and bring in stronger age-assurance measures, among other changes.

In Canada, the federal government has proposed a new digital safety bill that would force social media platforms to block access for kids under 16.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 26, 2026.

— With files from The Associated Press

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press