Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says web giants are failing to keep children safe online.
Canada has announced legislation that would force tech platforms to quickly remove online content deemed harmful, including content that sexualizes children or incites hatred.
The Online Harms Act, introduced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government on Monday, would hold tech companies accountable for tackling seven categories of harmful content and increase criminal penalties for spreading hate online.
Under the legislation, Canadians will have 24 hours to request content be removed, subject to a review process, and will be able to bring complaints to the Human Rights Tribunal against those spreading hate speech.
The seven categories of harm defined in the bill are intimate content that is communicated without consent; Content that incites hatred. Content that incites violent extremism or terrorism. Content that incites violence. Content used to bully children. Content that induces self-harm in children.
The bill would create a new Digital Safety Commission to enforce standards, including requiring platforms to implement child-protection features such as parental controls and Safe Search settings. ing.
Prime Minister Trudeau said the bill would make online spaces safer by holding tech companies accountable for harmful content they host.
“For too long, the web giants have failed to keep children safe online,” he says. “Too often this has devastating consequences.”
The government said in a statement that it respects Canadians' right to freedom of expression, but everyone should have access to an online environment “where they can freely express themselves without fear for their safety or life.”
It also said that “better protections for social media users, especially children, are urgently needed.”
The bill will be reviewed by a parliamentary committee and then sent to the Senate for amendments before becoming law.
The government's proposals sparked fierce opposition from conservatives.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poièvre, who has accused Trudeau of being “woke” and “authoritarian,” said last week that the government's plan would infringe on Canadians' freedom of expression.
“What does Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mean when he says… hate speech?” Poièvre said in remarks broadcast by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. “What he's saying is something he doesn't like.”
Canada's proposal follows similar legislation in other Western countries, including the United Kingdom's Online Safety Act, the European Union's Digital Services Act, and the content moderation laws of Florida and Texas in the United States.
