Illinois bill limits how social media companies can target feeds to children

Meta Platforms has completed an operational split from Manus and stopped data sharing between the two, according to people familiar with the matter. Meta barred Manus staff from accessing its internal systems since early June and told employees to migrate existing Manus projects to Meta’s systems, not start new work. The steps follow Beijing’s April demand to unwind Meta’s US$2 billion acquisition, which Bloomberg says Meta is “sunsetting.”

Canada’s federal government proposed a Digital Safety Act that would bar children under 16 from using social media unless platforms meet regulator-set safety standards, and would also impose rules on AI chatbots. The bill would create a digital regulator to set and enforce compliance, with penalties up to 3% of global revenue or C$10 million. Officials said it could take about a year to pass and 18 months to set up the regulator.

Canada is moving toward social media bans for users under 16, with the federal government saying platforms will eventually have to block access unless safeguards are met. Snapchat and Meta argue app stores should handle age-gating, while Apple and Google dispute responsibility. Australia’s 16+ ban reportedly left 70% of under-16 users keeping accounts, highlighting enforcement challenges.

Meta plans to unveil its first commercial smartwatch, codenamed Malibu 2, at Meta Connect 2026 on Sept. 23, 2026. The watch is expected to use surface electromyography for gesture control for Meta’s Ray-Ban AI glasses, while also tracking continuous heart rate, blood oxygen, sleep, and running a built-in Meta AI assistant without a required subscription. Sources cited by The Information say it will complement, not compete with, Meta’s glasses.

Canada introduced a digital safety bill to ban social media for children under 16, with exemptions for platforms meeting safety standards, according to a government official. The bill would also regulate AI chatbots via a digital regulator. Noncompliance could bring penalties of 3% of global revenue or up to C$10 million. Officials said passage may take a year and regulator setup 18 months.

Canada introduced the Safe Social Media Act to restrict social media access for users under 16, requiring age verification for sites like Facebook, TikTok and Instagram. A new Digital Safety Commission would set safety standards. The bill must pass Parliament. Australia’s similar law led to deactivating about 5 million underage accounts; critics cite surveillance and data risks.