Stop the harm. Heal childhood. Keep our kids safe online

Social media services, AI chatbots, and unregulated internet spaces are harming our children’s physical and mental health. Canada has introduced legislation for increased online safeguards for children, holding these services more accountable for preventing harm.

Sign your name and stand with Canada’s doctors – demand stronger protections for children online.

Stand with
Canada’s doctors

Canadian doctors see the symptoms of online harm every day – depression, anxiety, self-harm, loneliness. Digital platforms prioritize profit over our children’s safety, subjecting them to misinformation, mental health strain, and physical safety risks. It’s time to do something to stop it.

The Canadian Medical Association supports the introduction of the Safe Social Media Act.

We believe in protecting childhood with safer online experiences for Canadian children. Bill C-34 demands stronger regulations for social media and AI chatbots, plus more accountability from digital platforms for false and predatory information.

A doctor in a white coat holds a teenage girl's hand during a clinical appointment

Physicians are speaking out

Are you a Canadian doctor witnessing the online harms of social media and AI chatbots? Share your experience with us — your quote may be used in our campaign materials!

Submit a quote

“Every day, doctors see how online harms hurt kids and their families — from self-image issues and cyberbullying to self-harm and exposure to sexualized and harmful content. We’ve seen enough.”

Dr. Bolu Ogunyemi

CMA President

"I started practicing at CHEO over 20 years ago. Back then, kids hospitalized on a mental health unit wanted to know when they could see their parents. Today, their first question is, 'when can I get my phone back?'.”

Dr. Michael Cheng

Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, CHEO

"The most important prescription we offer is often not a medication—it's prevention. Children's digital safety deserves the same approach. The consequences of online harm don't stay online; they show up in our clinics, our schools, and our homes. Protecting children online isn't about restricting childhood—it's about preserving it.”

Dr. Vivian Oparah

Physician

" Almost every day as a primary care doctor, I see youth whose mental and physical health is negatively affected by purposely-addictive social media, filtered images of 'real peers,' and disingenuous influencers who create for-profit content where attention and dissatisfaction are currency. ”

Dr. Eric Cadesky

Physician

" As a pediatric emergency physician, I frequently see the results of how targeted harmful content on social media preys on the vulnerable minds of young children and teens. The mental health effects can be severe and long-lasting. Growing up is hard enough. We shouldn't let profit-seeking algorithms make it harder for our children and youth to thrive.”

Dr. Henry Annan

Physician

" As an emergency physician, I see the direct harm that social media use at too young an age can have. We owe it to the next generation to protect them from online harms and commit to making the space safer for all users.”

Dr. Shazma Mithani

Physician

Social media campaign graphic promoting safer online spaces for children

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Keep Our Kids Safe Online
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