The Carney government has officially tabled its new Safe Social Media Act, with the centrepiece of the legislation being a ban on social media access for those under the age of 16.

The federal government is arguing that the social media ban will be temporary, something platforms will be able to work around once a new digital regulator certifies their safety standards.

JAY GOLDBERG: Carney tables social media ban for teens, relies on 'trust me' government Back to video

But there’s no telling how long that could take. And, as University of Ottawa Law Professor Michael Geist puts it, even if the social media ban is framed as a temporary measure, “there’s no putting the toothpaste back in the tube given that the policy will require a regulator and proof of age from everyone.” If government doesn’t want youth and teens accessing certain apps or websites, everyone’s age is going to have to be verified, likely through a third-party service, raising privacy concerns.

Does banning teenagers from accessing social media even make sense from a policy perspective?

First of all, there’s the question of who should be monitoring teenagers and making choices for them. Right now, there are all kind of limits parents can put........

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