Unplugged Canada NS

06/15/2026

Congratulations, Canada! We have officially hit 10,000 pledges!

Thousands of families across the country are saying “no” to smartphones for their children. This creates a brighter future for thousands of kids by safeguarding their mental health, social development, and ability to learn without constant distraction.

The tide is changing. Have you signed the pledge yet? Join us in delaying smartphones and get connected with other likeminded families in your community.

In case you missed it, our website features live dashboards! You can see real-time data on how many pledges have been signed in each grade at your child’s school. This gives you immediate insight into how many other families have joined this initiative so far. Our newly redesigned website also features tons of resources including talking points and handouts to spur the conversation in your community. Check it out today! www.unpluggedcanada.com

06/11/2026

This week has been an important step forward for children’s safety in digital spaces.

The inclusion of a social media age minimum of 16 in the upcoming digital safety bill reflects years of work from parents, educators, health professionals, and child advocates all across Canada.

There is still work ahead, but one thing is certain: Canada is ready for change. We look forward to working with lawmakers to ensure strong protections for children online and meaningful accountability for tech companies.

This is progress. Now let’s keep going.💪

06/09/2026

👏 WE LOVE TO SEE IT 👏 This is a huge step in the right direction.

This week, the federal government is expected to introduce legislation that would restrict social media access for children under 16 as part of Canada‘s new Online Harms bill.

For years, parents, educators, health professionals, youth advocates - and everyone here at Unplugged - have all raised concerns about the impact of smartphone use among youth.
Unplugged Canada believes that kids deserve a childhood filled with real world connection, creativity, play, learning, and community. They deserve to be free from addictive platform designs, algorithm-driven content, cyberbullying, exploitation, trafficking, sleep disruption, and poor mental well-being.

We are SO encouraged to see meaningful steps being taken by our government to put children’s well-being ahead of corporate profits.

04/29/2026

Across Canada, something is shifting.
From Manitoba to Ontario, Saskatchewan to British Columbia – leaders are starting to respond to growing concerns about youth, smartphones, and social media.

And it’s working.

These conversations are leading to REAL policy changes being considered. Momentum is building.

Now it’s our turn to keep it going here in Nova Scotia. When parents raise their voices together, our leaders listen. That’s how change starts – and how it grows. If you’ve been feeling concerned about the impact of smartphones and social media on children, you’re not alone. And you’re not too late.

📣Add your voice. Be part of the momentum.
📞Contact your leaders and tell them you want a better future future for our children.

Let’s protect their childhood – together.

04/10/2026

Thank you Jonathan Haidt for helping to amplify this message!

French below / Version française ci-dessous Dear Prime Minister Carney, We write to express strong support for online youth safety legislation that meaningfully protects young people by placing clear product safety obligations on social media companies. Effective digital safety legislation must inc...

04/06/2026

Kids deserve a school day that protects their focus, their safety, and their childhood.

We’re joining the conversation.

is hosting an Eastern Canada session to share what’s happening across provinces and how real change is being pushed forward at both the school and policy level.
From local advocacy to national coordination, this is about shifting the culture and giving kids back the space to learn, connect, and grow without constant digital pressure.

📅 Friday, April 10
🕛 12:00 PM AST
💻 Zoom (link in bio)

If you care about safer schools and healthier childhoods, this matters. Join us on Friday!

04/04/2026

We need your help – right now.

We’ve created an open letter to show government that community leaders across Canada are united and calling for stronger protection for kids online.

But it only works if YOUR voices are behind it.

If you are a:
- doctor
- teacher
- social worker
- community leader

- or you know someone who is - this matters.

We are asking you to add your name and then share this with your network.

🗓️ Deadline: April 8 (this will be presented ahead of the Liberal debate April 9–11).

The more names we have, the harder it is to ignore.

🔗Sign and share from the link in our bio.

04/02/2026

Unplugged Canada NS made the news again! Check out our most recent interview with Global News.

03/25/2026

Today, history was made in the courtroom.

A jury was asked whether Meta and Google:
❌Knew their platform was dangerous for minors.
❌Knew kids wouldn’t recognize the danger.
❌Failed to warn them.
❌And caused harm as a result.

And this afternoon, the answer was YES. On all counts.

For years, the narrative has been “(parents and) kids need to be more responsible”. But today, a jury agreed: the companies do too.

This is a landmark moment. But it doesn’t undo the reality that millions of children are still using platforms built this way, right now.

So we take this win. And we keep pushing.
Sign our call to action to increase the minimum age for social media to 16 at the link in our bio.

03/21/2026

This March Break, Unplugged NS encourages you to try the “Let Grow” Experience.

Curious about it? The Let Grow movement believes children who have more opportunities than others for independent activities are not only happier in the short run, because the activities engender happiness and a sense of trustworthiness and competence, but also happier in the long run, because independent activities promote the growth of mental capacities for coping effectively with life’s inevitable stressors.

has a new resource, the “Amazing Adventure Guide”, which is packed with activities designed with the goal to reclaim free play & real-world responsibility. It adopts important facets of the Let aGrow Experience, along with the concept behind Jonathan Haidt’s 4th Norm: Reclaiming Norm #4: Free Play & Real-World Responsibility; which reminds us that to successfully move away from a “phone-based” childhood, we must replace it with a “play-based” one.

Today, one of our co-founders had her child try Step 3: Real-World Responsibilities — Community Helper from our Amazing Adventure Guide. The specific task was completing the family’s weekly library run - returning last week’s books and checking out new ones (along with staying awhile in the community library to read), while his Mom was down the street at a dentist appointment. This step involved taking responsibility by doing a task normally done by a parent, gaining social confidence & community connection, and helping others.This kiddo normally visits the library with a parent on a regular basis and is learning how to foster social connections with the librarians and other patrons. Today’s adventure also taught him independence and confidence in navigating the world all on his own.

For more information and for ideas on how to Let Grow, check out the link in our bio or the March Break bingo created by our friends at !