India, June 11 -- Canada has introduced new legislation that could restrict children under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms unless companies can prove that their services are safe for minors.

Under the proposed law, social media companies would be required to either restrict access for users under 16 or obtain an exemption by demonstrating that they have implemented strong safety safeguards to protect young users online.

The legislation specifically targets seven categories of harmful online content, including material that promotes self-harm, incites violence or hatred, and the sharing of non-consensual intimate images. Authorities say the aim is to strengthen protections for children in an increasingly digital envir...