Windsor MP calls for digital bill of rights

Windsor West NDP Member of Parliament Brian Masse has called a public meeting to talk about the "shocking lack of transparency" over the Ambassador Bridge announcement. (Sacha Long/CTV Windsor)

Windsor West MP Brian Masse is calling for a Canadian digital bill of rights after Facebook finds itself on the defensive regarding the privacy of its users’ data.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has taken out full page ads in major newspapers and agreed to broadcast interviews to address his company’s alleged involvement with UK-based data company Cambridge Analytica.

The London Observer and New York Times reported earlier this month, with the help of Canadian whistleblower Christopher Wylie, that Cambridge Analytica allegedly obtained data of more than 50-million Facebook users illegally to try and sway political outcomes including the ‘Brexit’ referendum in the United Kingdom and the 2016 American election that saw Donald Trump become president.

Masse, the NDP’s Innovation, Science and Economic Development Critic, is set to introduce a motion in the House of Commons which calls for Canadian consumer’s digital rights to be protected.

“Following the allegations of privacy breaches by Facebook this past week, and the Apple iPhone battery scandal this past January, we need to stand up for Canadian consumers. The digital landscape is constantly evolving and there is nothing in place to protect and educate consumers before the next scandal happens,” says Masse in a news release. “My motion is a starting point to protect Canadians and to enshrine their personal rights in the digital world.”

Masse’s private members bill is set to call for universal and affordable access to the internet and digital platforms for all Canadian consumers. Privacy rights, security, and ownership of personal data are all covered under Masse’s motion.

“It’s time for this government to take concrete action to protect Canadian’s privacy, personal data, and security,” says Masse. “It’s time for a Canadian Digital Bill of Rights.”

Masse’s motion also looks to guarantee the protection of net neutrality and to study the impacts of digital technology on consumer health.