
Online connectivity has introduced a new realm in which individuals can interact with each other and by extension, commit harm and wrongdoing.
Federal Parliament, and by extension Canadians, were recently introduced to Bill C-63, a proposal to enact the Online Harms Act, and make several other amendments related to online conduct and hate speech.
The Online Harms Act aims to promote the online safety of individuals by establishing the Digital Safety Commission and the Digital Ombudsperson of Canada. These entities will hold the responsibility of keeping operators of social media services accountable in ensuring they mitigate user exposure to harmful content, protect children, and make sexually victimizing content inaccessible.
As of right now, there’s no government commission taking on these responsibilities.
While these overarching objectives aren’t easy to object to, there are some who have doubts these legislative policies will make social media safer; rather, they argue these policies will introduce censorship.
The execution of this Act would lie largely within the purview of unelected individuals. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has voiced concern on behalf of another side to the skepticism, stating more bureaucracy isn’t the ideal solution, especially as many call for the government to cut down on expenditures.
According to a recent Leger poll, while 70 per cent of respondents supported the government’s plan to regulate online content, only 41 per cent believed the legislation would create safer online platforms and only 10 per cent completely trusted the government to regulate online content in a way that protects individual free speech.
One doesn’t need to look far to see ways the current government has been scrutinized in its approach to freedom of speech.
Last month, Justice Richard G. Mosley of the Federal Court said in his ruling the use of the Emergencies Act in response to the Freedom Convoy in 2022 violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Though Ottawa announced it would appeal the ruling, the situation shows their record with regards to free speech hasn’t been scot-free.
As we turn the corner into what may be an early 2024 election or one slated in 2025, it’s clear striking a constitutional and effective balance between protecting free speech and human rights will be one of the many issues young Canadians should keep their eyes on.
Tags
Censorship, Digital safety, federal government, Policy, Technology
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