Canada is considering a law that keeps minors from social media platforms. The proposal requires age verification through government documents or facial recognition. However, this creates major practical problems for transgender and gay people.

The core problem: many trans persons have documents with old names and genders. Facial recognition algorithms can make errors, causing account blocks. Using government documents can expose LGBTQ+ persons to discrimination. Identification without deadnaming proves difficult in practice.

LGBTQ+ organizations warn the law has unintended consequences. Trans adults may face as much trouble as young people. Verification systems struggle with inconsistencies in personal data. Privacy is also a concern: facial data gets stored centrally.

The government emphasizes the law protects young people. However, experts suggest separating gender and age verification. This prevents extra obstacles for trans persons. The debate shows technical solutions have unexpected effects on minorities.