Allowing AI systems to prey on vulnerable populations at scale is not a technical inevitability. It is a policy choice. And when young people, without specialized legal or technical expertise, can identify governance needs that align with international regulatory consensus, the barrier to action is political will.

The Canadian federal government has signalled that it intends to regulate AI chatbots, citing growing concerns about youth mental health, wellbeing and safety. ChatGPT’s high-profile role in the recent tragedy in Tumbler Ridge, BC has made that signal impossible to ignore. But, as Ottawa once again enters a period of deliberation on its online harms file, there is a real risk that Canada will repeat a familiar pattern: acknowledging harm while postponing action, despite the policy roadmap already existing and young Canadians having helped draw it.

What Other Countries Are Already Doing

Around the world, governments have moved decisively to address the risks posed by AI chatbots, particularly to children and young people. The European Union’s AI Act explicitly prohibits systems that deploy manipulative techniques or exploit age-related vulnerabilities. Australia’s eSafety Commissioner designates AI chatbots as high-risk technologies, subject to safety-by-design requirements. Brazil’s Digital Child Protection Bill mandates the removal of harmful content and restricts features that encourage behavioural dependency.

Canada, by contrast, has no mandatory pre-deployment risk assessments, enforceable safety-by-design standards, or ongoing monitoring requirements, despite documented cases of chatbots offering harmful guidance related to self-harm, eating disorders, and emotional distress. As the government now signals interest in regulation, it should be clear-eyed about how far behind we are.

What Young Canadians Are Asking........

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