The government of British Columbia announced its submission of a bill that allows it to sue companies and social media platforms that endanger the mental and physical health of the province's residents.

David Eby, the head of the British Columbia government, said that the bill submitted yesterday to the government grants it the authority to claim costs associated with the public health system, such as medical visits and hospital treatment.

He pointed out that if the law is passed, the provincial authorities will be able to pursue not only social media platforms but also a variety of companies, such as tobacco companies, energy drink companies, and even oil companies.

The New Democratic Party government of British Columbia (left-leaning) specifically wants to target products that create dependency and addiction among children and adolescents.

"These companies do not care about the interests of young people and create algorithms to increase their engagement with a product or application," Eby said.

Eby added that he is monitoring the internet giant Meta, which operates popular platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

He explained that there are mechanisms to hold this type of multinational companies accountable, according to Eby, who was the Attorney General of British Columbia for five years (2017 - 2022) before becoming the head of the largest province in Western Canada by population (5.58 million people).

He confirmed, "I have great hope that we will be able to sue Meta; it sells ads in Canada, makes agreements with Canadian banks, and receives payments and transfers to and from British Columbia."

He pointed out that companies that violate laws will be prosecuted, and the new bill allows the government of British Columbia to directly pursue senior leaders and managers of those companies.