Canada

National standard CAN/DGSI 127: 2025 approved: Canada approves a national standard for age verification and estimation, specifying minimum requirements for age assurance technologies and methods.

UK regulator Ofcom begins enforcement: Ofcom will begin enforcement of its age verification policies, serving as a model for Canada.

New bill (revamp of S-210, likely S-209) introduced into Canadian Parliament: A new bill that would require porn sites to implement age assurance technology has been introduced into Canadian Parliament.

Bill S-209 reintroduced in the Senate: A revamp of Bill S-210, aiming to prevent minors from evading age restrictions on pornographic websites.

OPC released key learnings from age assurance consultation: Highlighted diversity of technologies and contentious considerations, suggesting biometric facial age estimation 'deserves special caution'.

Bill S-210 died: Died with the conclusion of the parliamentary session at the beginning of 2025.

Bill C-412 (Protection of Minors in the Digital Age) proposed: Proposed mandatory parental consent before a child (under 16) can first use online platforms.

OPC held exploratory consultation on age assurance: From June to September 2024, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada held an exploratory consultation on age assurance systems and their impact on privacy.

Bill C-63 (Online Harms Act) first reading: Introduced to establish a new legislative and regulatory framework to reduce harmful content on social media platforms, including duties to protect children and make certain content inaccessible.

Bill S-210 passed its second reading in the House of Commons: Revealing a clear divide along political lines.

Bill S-210 passed the Senate: Passed with support from every party except the ruling Liberals.

Senate committee amended Bill C-11: Added a requirement for online platforms to verify the age of users accessing pornography.

Bill C-302 (Stopping Internet Sexual Exploitation Act) first reading: Proposed amendments to the Criminal Code to prohibit making/distributing commercial pornographic material without verifying age (18+) and express consent of depicted persons.

Senator Julie Miville-Dechêne introduced Bill S-210: A similar bill to restrict young persons' online access to sexually explicit material.

R v Labaye decision: Supreme Court articulated a harms-based test for obscenity that still governs.

R v Butler judgment: Supreme Court of Canada unanimously upheld obscenity provisions in the Criminal Code, shifting from community standard's test to harm test.

Criminal Law Amendment Act passed: Suppressed various laws related to sexual norms.