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The mother of a British Columbia teen who died by suicide after being relentlessly tormented by a cyberbully says proposed federal legislation tackling online safety would have helped her daughter and will help save lives.
Carol Todd’s daughter Amanda died in 2012 after being sexually exploited by an online predator.
Todd said in an interview on Thursday that the Safe Social Media Act addresses the mental and emotional toll of social media and is an important step toward keeping youth safe online.
It’s also something Amanda would have wanted, she said.
“Amanda wanted kids safe and she wanted to be safe,” Todd said. “We are still losing kids, we are still having the same problems with online behaviours and social media.”
The legislation, introduced in the House of Commons on Wednesday, would force social media companies to block access for children under 16, though platforms can get an exemption if they put the appropriate safeguards in place.
B.C.’s Attorney General Niki Sharma said it can’t come soon enough, even as it falls short of what the province wanted.
She said Thursday that the proposed bill addresses many of the B.C. government’s concerns by introducing age restrictions for social media and regulating the companies behind AI chatbots.
But Sharma said the bill doesn’t address all of her government’s concerns, and it lacks a requirement for AI companies to report violent content to police.
She said it’s something the province asked for after it was revealed OpenAI did not flag worrisome interactions between its chatbot and the Tumbler Ridge, B.C., shooter, who killed eight people and then herself in February.
Sharma said Culture Minister Marc Miller told her the government wants guidelines that would lay out the responsibility platforms have to report certain content, even though specific requirements aren’t in the bill.
Todd applauded the addition of an independent federal regulator that would enforce the bill through compliance orders and monetary fines.
However, she said the legislation doesn’t cover messaging apps, one of the methods through which Amanda was exploited.
Todd said that despite some grey areas in the bill, she’s pleased with its focus on online safety and believes there’s time to address any shortfalls as it moves through the House of Commons.
Sharma said the legislation needs to pass quickly to protect children who are vulnerable to the harms of social media, adding that B.C. wants to be at the table for future discussions.
“Far too long have I sat with families that have experienced real tragedy, who have suffered greatly. And the type of change that we’re seeing in this bill can’t come fast enough,” she told reporters in Richmond on Thursday.
Todd said she’s meeting with Sharma next week to discuss efforts to improve digital literacy in B.C. schools and the use of AI in the classroom.
“If I could talk to Amanda right now, I would say to her that your legacy and your story have helped move forward so many things in this world, and your life is treasured by all,” she said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2026.
Marissa Birnie, The Canadian Press
