Action Canada is advocating for federal investments in a coordinated, national approach to comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and a risk analysis of AI-and platform-based disinformation relating to sexuality, sexual health, reproductive health, and gender.
As generative AI influences what we see and believe, the need for accurate information on sexuality, health, and gender has never been higher. While a “move fast and break things” mentality is celebrated by big tech companies, it is not a strategy that should be applied to sexual health services and education – the stakes are too high to rush in without a plan that considers the safety and wellbeing of all Canadians. Here are the AI and health trends we’re keeping an eye on:
- Sexual AI content and mis- and disinformation on social media are spreading without strong oversight. Sexual health mis- and disinformation generates a lot of engagement online, which is how social media companies and influencers monetize their content. Canada is not keeping pace with other countries who are looking to counter misinformation online (e.g., banning social media for kids, blocking specific platforms or features). Instead, many Canadian governments and politicians are still using problematic platforms, with important government announcements co-existing alongside harmful and hateful misinformation.
- Tech platforms and companies aren’t afraid to be biased against sexual health. Moderation practices frequently delete or ban content or accounts about sex or gender. Sexual health information about abortion regularly gets flagged as “political content,” making it subject to different guidelines than general health information. At the same time, these platforms allow users to create and share AI-generated pornography and non-consensual materials. This will only contribute to the trend of people getting sexual health misinformation from pornography and not accurate info from sexual health educators.
- Online mis- and disinformation leads to negative health outcomes in real life. AI-platforms like ChatGPT are inaccurate 36% of the time when answering questions about sexual health. From the Canadian Medical Association’s 2025 Health and Media Annual Tracking Survey, 23% of respondents said that online advice had a negative impact on their health. Getting stuck with bad information can delay care or treatment for basic sexual health concerns, leading to an even greater strain on our overburdened healthcare system when people need to seek treatment for worsening conditions.
- Governments are investing more into AI and not enough into public healthcare. Across the country, Canada’s sexual health centres are facing funding cuts and anti-sex ed legislation that is hampering their ability to serve the public. There’s apparently not enough money for schools and sexual health clinics, but always more available to invest into new AI companies and technologies. Experts are saying that AI is an economic bubble, so why are governments betting on unproven technology and companies when the basic needs of our health and education systems are not being met?
- Sexual health data is a national security concern. Canada does not have the technology infrastructure for a publicly-owned AI health platform. As AI gets more deeply integrated into our health systems, private and foreign-owned companies will be the ones collecting and storing the health data of Canadians. Many companies and countries are hostile towards things like abortion access or gender affirming care, and our governments need to assess the risk of them having access to and control over our personal health information.
Our leaders need to act on AI. It cannot only be seen as a cost-saving investment opportunity. AI technology will continue to have major impacts on our access to sexual health information and healthcare. Here at Action Canada, we’re calling for the federal government to:
- Fund a cross-government review to address AI and platform-based disinformation on SRHR and gender. The federal government must dedicate funding to launch a coordinated, cross-government review of the public health and democratic risks posed by AI- and platform-based disinformation related to sexuality, sexual health, reproductive health, and gender.
- Resource federal departments to coordinate national access to comprehensive sexuality education. The Federal Ministry of Health needs to coordinate a national approach to CSE, ensuring all young people, regardless of province or territory, have access to education aligned with the Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education and Gender-Based Violence Education.
- Use spending powers to ensure sustainable funding for community-based sexual health centres. These centres are essential community partners on the Government of Canada’s Sexually Transmitted and Blood-Borne Infections (STBBI) action plan, the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ action plan, and the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. Sexual health centres need dedicated, reliable funding so that they can keep the doors open to deliver CSE, train educators and parents, and provide critical access to sexual and reproductive health care.
Check out organizations like OpenMedia, Association of Progressive Communications, Feminist Principles of the Internet, and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association to stay up to date on campaigns that push for a more accessible and informative Internet.
For more on the Government of Canada’s approach to AI, check out the Canadian Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute.
This blog was published as part of our 2026 SexPlus: Sexual Health Week campaign.
