Feds need to bring in social media and AI protections for kids, B.C. attorney general says

App icons for Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, X, YouTube, Reddit, Snapchat and Threads can be seen in this file photo. (David Prisciak/CTV News)

VICTORIA — British Columbia’s attorney general says if the federal government doesn’t bring in protections on social media and AI chatbots for children, then the province will look to follow Manitoba with its own regulatory regime.

Niki Sharma says parents know firsthand of the devastating impacts of social media platforms and AI chatbots on children, and the artificial intelligence link to the Tumbler Ridge shooting where eight victims died is just one example.

The shooter in Tumbler Ridge used the ChatGPT chatbot in ways that drew concern from some staff at its maker, OpenAI, but the firm did not alert police before the killings in February.

Sharma says she wrote to the federal government after OpenAI didn’t report the suspected dangers posed by shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar, reinforcing B.C.’s call for clear national guardrails.

The attorney general says self-regulation isn’t working and they can’t have companies that control a lot of the world’s wealth deciding what’s safe for children and other vulnerable people.

She says she believes regulations would work best at the federal level, but they have also reached out to Manitoba to see what its plans are for implementing such a ban and an alliance or protections among provinces could also work.

With the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting in mind, Sharma says in a statement that there’s a need for consistent, Canada-wide standards for all AI companies, including clear reporting thresholds when serious safety concerns are identified.

“Strong, enforceable federal rules will help ensure AI is used responsibly, support workers and families, and give people confidence that these powerful technologies are being developed and deployed with their safety and well-being at the forefront,” she says in a statement issued Tuesday.

B.C. has had several cases of sexploitation leading to suicide and the platforms can also lead to eating disorders and anxiety, she says.

“These companies say they share our goal of keeping our kids safe, and it is time we ask them to put their money where their mouth is and prove it if they want to continue operating in Canada,” Sharma says.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2026.