Question Period Card Minister of Canadian Heritage
Issue
Regulation of social media Platforms
Update
February 11, 2021
Source
Various
Synopsis
Public attention to the issue has grown since the beginning of the year in response to the events at the U.S. Capitol, a recent survey by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF) showing public support for Government action on online hate and a report by the Canadian Commission for Democratic Expression (CCDE) entitled Harms Reduction: A Six-Step Program to Protect Democratic Expression Online. At the same time, several stakeholders and media reports have cautioned about the risk of infringing on freedom of speech.
Recommended response
- A recent survey has shown that the majority of Canadians support the regulation of online harms on social media.
- We are working to introduce legislation in the near future to reduce the spread of illegal content, including hate speech, child pornography, incitement to violence and terrorism propaganda.
- Our goal is to promote a safer and more inclusive online environment so all Canadians can express themselves without being subject to hateful or threatening attacks.
Background
- The mandate of the Department of Canadian Heritage (PCH) includes the promotion of a greater understanding of human rights, fundamental freedoms and related values.
- In the September 2020, Speech from the Throne, the Government committed to redoubling its efforts in taking action on online hate. Through the mandate letter to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, the Government has committed to creating new regulations for social media platforms, starting with a requirement that all platforms remove illegal content, including hate speech within 24 hours or face significant penalties. The supplementary mandate letter to the Minister of Canadian Heritage (January 2021) stipulates that he will work with colleagues to take action on combatting hate groups and online hate and harassment, ideologically motivated violent extremism and terrorist organizations. The Minister’s mandate letter also includes supporting the work of colleagues on several other digital policy files.
- Social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter, are increasingly central to participation in democratic, cultural and public life. According to Media Technology Monitor (MTM) data, 81 percent of francophones and 84 percent of anglophones used any Social Network in the spring of 2020. However, social media platforms can also be used to threaten, intimidate, bully and harass people – or used to promote racist, anti-Semitic, Islamophobic, misogynist, and homophobic views that target communities, put people’s safety at risk, and undermine Canada’s social cohesion or democracy. Moreover, events such as the dissemination of violent extremist material during the Christchurch shootings or the publication of the El-Paso shooter’s manifesto and events at the U.S. Capitol have resulted in public calls for increased regulations and accountability for social media platforms.
- A number of governments in other jurisdictions, such as Germany, Australia, France, the European Union, the United Kingdom and New Zealand, have proposed or enacted legislation that imposes obligations on online platforms to restrict certain forms of content and activity.
- Currently, a number of the Government of Canada’s departments are working on initiatives to address issues related to social media platform governance. The Department of Innovation, Science and Industry (ISED) is addressing privacy and data issues through its Digital Charter and by providing enhanced powers for the Privacy Commissioner. Global Affairs Canada addresses foreign interference through the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism and Public Safety addresses violent and extremist content online through its Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence and engagements in the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT) and the Five Country Ministerial.
- Efforts to engage with social media companies in order to safeguard the 2019 federal election were spearheaded by the Minister of Democratic Institutions through the modernization of the Canada Elections Act and other initiatives. This included a $7 million investment by PCH to create the Digital Citizen Initiative (DCI). This citizen-focused initiative funds activities to strengthen citizens’ critical thinking about online disinformation, their ability to be more resilient against online harms, as well as their ability to get involved in democratic processes.
- In 2019, PCH received $19.4 million over four years to expand the DCI to support democracy and social cohesion in Canada by building citizen resilience against online disinformation, establishing partnerships to ensure a healthy information environment, and supporting research, policy development and an international multi-stakeholder engagement strategy on diversity of content online.
- Through the DCI, Canadian Heritage funded the Public Policy Forum (PPF) for a three-year period, which has led to the creation of the Canadian Commission for Democratic Expression (CCDE). The CCDE’s first annual report is entitled Harms Reduction: A Six-Step Program to Protect Democratic Expression Online. It bases its six recommendations on six principles, which state that “the status quo of leaving content moderation to the sole discretion of platforms has failed to stem the spread of these harms and that platform companies can find themselves in conflict between their private interests and the public good,” and finds fault with the notion that platforms are neutral disseminators of information. The six recommendations are to implement new legislated Duty on Platforms to Act Responsibly and regulator to enforce such an Act; establish a social media council as well as an e-tribunal to facilitate and expedite dispute resolution; and a mechanism to quickly remove content that presents an imminent threat to a person.
Prepared by: Pierre-Marc Perreault (819-953-0302)
Director of Communications: Roxane Marchand (819-934-1786)
Director or Director General: Owen Ripley (819-934-1504)
Assistant Deputy Minister: Jean-Stéphen Piché (819-997-3009)
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