Feds' planned crackdown on harmful online content getting a revamp
![Pablo Rodriguez Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez speaks about the governments plans to amend the Broadcast act during a news conference, Wednesday, February 2, 2022 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2022/2/3/pablo-rodriguez-1-5766316-1643905421372.jpg)
The federal government is working with an expert panel to rework its promised online harms bill, after stakeholders identified numerous flaws that needed rectifying with their previous proposal.
Through the yet-to-be presented legislation, the government had signalled its intent to make “online communication service providers,” such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok more accountable for and transparent about, how they handle five kinds of harmful content on their platforms: hate speech, child exploitation, the sharing of non-consensual images, incitements to violence, and terrorism.
However, following the initial summer 2021 consultation window, stakeholders including civil society organizations, online industry stakeholders, and academics came forward raising red flags and expressing wide-spanning concerns with what then-Canadian heritage minister Steven Guilbeault had presented.
The government released its “What We Heard” report on Thursday, based on its assessment and contemplation of the feedback from the consultation process. It concluded that while the majority of respondents felt there is a need for the government to take action to crack down on harmful content online, given the complexity of the issue the coming legislation needs to be thoughtful in its approach to guard against “unintended consequences.”
What the Liberals were proposing included elements such as:
- Implementing a 24-hour takedown requirement for content deemed harmful, and powers to block platforms that are repeat offenders;
- Compelling platforms to provide data on their algorithms and other systems that scour for and flag potentially harmful content;
- Obligations for sites to preserve content and identifying information for potential future legal action;
- Levelling severe sanctions for companies deemed to be repeatedly non-compliant, including fines of up to $25 million;
- Creating a new “Digital Safety Commission of Canada” that would be able to issue binding decisions for platforms to remove harmful content; and
- Installing a new system for Canadians to appeal platforms’ decisions around content moderation.
According to the report, those who submitted feedback said that government needs to “reconsider its approach” to several key elements of the bill, in order to satisfy the outstanding concerns related to freedom of expression, privacy rights, the impact of the proposal on marginalized groups, and compliance with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
This includes reassessing the types of online services that would be regulated and what the threshold for inclusion would be; what obligations there will be on platforms to moderate, remove and report harmful content; and the strength of the accompanying independence and oversight bodies.
“Respondents signaled the need to proceed with caution. Many emphasized that the approach Canada adopts to addressing online harms would serve as a benchmark for other governments acting in the same space and would contribute significantly to international norm setting,” reads the report.
Now, the government says that with the gaps identified, it will be working with a group of experts to advise the government on how to adjust its proposal, with the aim of bringing forward legislation “in the near future.”
“This work will be carried out in a transparent and expedited manner… the Government of Canada is committed to getting this right and to doing so as quickly as possible,” said Canadian Heritage in a statement accompanying the report.
“We are committed to ensuring that online platforms provide safe and respectful experiences for Canadians to engage and share information with one another. This is a very important and complex issue,” said Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez in the statement. He is working with Justice Minister David Lametti and Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino on the coming bill.
Taking more time to consider the legislation means the Liberals will not be meeting their election pledge to move on the online harms bill within the first 100 days of their new mandate, as Feb. 3 marks day 100.
IN DEPTH
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6922467.1718138898!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Supports for passengers, farmers, artists: 7 bills from MPs and Senators to watch in 2024
When parliamentarians return to Ottawa in a few weeks to kick off the 2024 sitting, there are a few bills from MPs and senators that will be worth keeping an eye on, from a 'gutted' proposal to offer a carbon tax break to farmers, to an initiative aimed at improving Canada's DNA data bank.
Opinion
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6850735.1713368648!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6975719.1721832068!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
WATCH LIVE Bank of Canada cuts interest rate, signals more to come if inflation keeps dropping
The Bank of Canada has decreased its policy interest rate for the second consecutive time and signalled more cuts are coming if inflation continues to ease.
Wildfire north of Calgary prompts evacuation alert, highway closures
A wildfire is prompting evacuations and highway closures north of Calgary.
2 Canadians being 'sent home immediately,' removed from Olympic team after drone incident
An analyst and an assistant coach with Canada Soccer are being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and 'sent home immediately,' according to the Canadian Olympic Committee.
French authorities foil several plots to disrupt the 2024 Olympics in Paris
French authorities have foiled several plots to disrupt the 2024 Olympics, officials said Wednesday, two days before the opening ceremony of the Summer Games in Paris.
EXCLUSIVE Canadian company at the centre of alleged international pyramid scheme: authorities
Foreign governments say hundreds of thousands of people in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka lost savings to a company headquartered in Canada. This investigation from the IJF and CTV News shines a new light on how Canadian shell companies and registries were used to pull off the scheme.
Wildfire evacuees ordered to leave Jasper find relief after long journey to safety
Some wildfire evacuees who were trapped in traffic for hours while leaving Jasper National Park say they are feeling relieved to have found safety.
Pennsylvania state police commissioner reveals stunning details about Trump shooting
A local law enforcement commissioner revealed during a House Homeland Security hearing on Tuesday stunning new details about the security failures that led to the near assassination of Donald Trump, raising more questions for the embattled U.S. Secret Service.
Host city revealed for 2034 Winter Olympic Games
Salt Lake City was awarded the 2034 Winter Olympic Games on Wednesday following a vote of the International Olympic Committee.
Plane crashes just after takeoff from Nepal's capital, killing 18 people. Pilot is lone survivor
A plane crashed Wednesday just after taking off from Nepal’s capital, killing 18 people and injuring a pilot who was the lone survivor.
Local Spotlight
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6974237.1721746558!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
Ottawa Humane Society reunites Montreal family with cat missing for 8 years
A cat who fled her Montreal home nearly a decade ago has been reunited with her family after being found in Ottawa.
Waterloo, Ont. woman out thousands after car totalled in hit-and-run
A woman in Waterloo, Ont. is out thousands of dollars for a car crash she wasn’t involved in.
'It looks scary, but they're harmless': Bees removed from Winnipeg street light
A swarm of bees living in a lamppost in Winnipeg’s Sage Creek neighbourhood has found a new home for its hive.
'Powerful symbol of the progress we have made': Land being returned to Manitoba Métis Federation
Around 100 acres of Manitoba Crown Land near the Saskatchewan border is being returned to the Métis community.
Cape Breton moose hunting suspended for 3 years due to 'significant' drop in population
Nova Scotia is suspending the licensed Cape Breton moose hunt for three years due to what the province is calling a “significant drop” in the population.
Social media prank could lead to charges after teens allegedly damage homes
A well-known childhood prank known as 'nicky nicky nine doors,' or 'ding dong ditch,' has escalated into a more serious game that could lead to charges for some Surrey, B.C. teens.
Benefit concert to be held for N.B. teen badly injured in 'freak accident'
It's been more than a month since their good friend was seriously hurt in an accident and two teens from Riverview, N.B., are still having a hard time dealing with it.
Here's what happens to rejected Halifax bridge coins
Halifax bridges have collected thousands of coins from around the world.
Video shows B.C. grizzly basking in clawfoot tub
A donated clawfoot bathtub has become the preferred lounging spot for a pair of B.C. grizzly bears, who have been taking turns relaxing and reclining in it – with minimal sibling squabbling – for the past year.