The Canadian province of Manitoba is planning to restrict young people’s access to social media platforms and AI chatbots, its leader has said.

The premier of the province, Wab Kinew, which has a population of about 1.5 million and lies north of North Dakota, announced the proposed policy during a speech on Saturday at an event hosted by his left-leaning New Democratic Party, according to Bloomberg.

“Increasingly, social media and now AI chatbots are being used to hack our children’s attention spans,” Kinew said. “They have been built this way to maximize engagement and to make money for a group of tech oligarchs who do not share our values as Canadians or as Manitobans.”

The proposal would place Manitoba ahead of Canada’s federal government, which is still weighing nationwide restrictions. It also reflects a growing international trend toward tighter rules limiting young people’s access to digital platforms and technology services.

Australia has already enacted a ban on social media use for children under 16, citing concerns over mental health, cyberbullying, and sexual extortion.

In Europe, French President Emmanuel Macron is also advocating for tighter regulations across the European Union.

A spokesperson for the Manitoba government said details of the proposed policy remain unclear, including the specific age group it would target and how it would be enforced.

Despite his criticism of social media, Kinew is active on the platforms and frequently posts viral content on Instagram, where he has 441,000 followers—more than any other Canadian premier, even though Manitoba ranks as Canada’s fifth most populous province.

Canada has previously clashed with the United States over regulations targeting Silicon Valley tech companies.

Last year, it abandoned plans to introduce a digital services tax after then-President Donald Trump threatened to withdraw from trade negotiations in response to the proposal.