Saskatchewan residents overwhelmingly support social media limits for young people, according to a province-wide survey released on Sept. 3.
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Of those who responded, 86.34 per cent said yes when asked if they support social media limits for children under the age of 16, while 13.66 per cent said no.
The Government of Saskatchewan received responses from communities across the province, including the Border City’s Saskatchewan side.
“Thank you to the thousands of Saskatchewan residents who took the time to share their views,” mental health and addictions minister Lori Carr said. “The results have been shared with the Federal Government and the feedback received will help inform Saskatchewan’s participation in broader discussions regarding online safety and the wellbeing of young people.”
The survey asked residents about potential restrictions for major platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
Respondents were also asked what age should apply to any potential restrictions. A majority indicated that social media limits should apply to youth aged 16 and under.
While respondents generally supported restrictions across all platforms included in the survey, YouTube was the platform most frequently identified as warranting an exemption from limits.
The issue of social media risks in youth has been a growing concern for parents and educators across the province.
“Over the past two years, we have travelled across Saskatchewan and spoken with thousands of youth, parents and educators through our online harms prevention program,” Youth Matter Canada Executive Director Laura Lawrence said.
“The message we have heard has been very clear: the addictive design of digital platforms like social media and YouTube, combined with the prevalence of harmful content and online predators, poses a real risk to the mental health and wellbeing of our children and teens.”
Lawrence said age-appropriate access is an important first step, but it cannot be the only one.
“Education, awareness of online harms and healthy boundaries around when and how technology is used are all essential to protecting young people and helping them build a healthier relationship with technology,” she said.
Youth Matter Canada is a Saskatchewan-based non-profit organization focused on supporting youth mental health through education, programming and community engagement.
The province previously implemented restrictions on phone use in Saskatchewan classrooms.
The Government of Saskatchewan will use the survey results to support ongoing discussions with the Federal Government on potential measures to protect young people online.
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