Question Period Note: Regulation of Social Media Platforms

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. This should include other online harms such as radicalization, incitement to violence, exploitation of children, or creation or distribution of terrorist propaganda.

• We need to promote a safe and inclusive online environment. This is why we intend to introduce regulations to reduce the spread of illegal content, including hate speech.
• Our approach to social media regulation will protect Canadians online, minimize costs for small and medium-sized businesses, and respect the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
• We are working with other like-minded countries to find the most balanced approach to address this issue.

• The mandate of the Department of Canadian Heritage (PCH) includes the promotion of a greater understanding of human rights, fundamental freedoms and related values.
• 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, 73 percent of Canadians have used a social media platform in the last month.
• 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, recent events such as the dissemination of violent extremist material during the Christchurch shootings or the publication of the El-Paso shooter’s manifesto 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 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, as a steward of Canada’s information and media ecosystem, 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 mandate letter to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, the Government committed to introducing new regulations for social media platforms, starting with a requirement that all platforms remove illegal content, including hate speech, within 24 hours. Other online harms in scope include radicalization, incitement to violence, the exploitation of children and the creation or distribution of terrorist propaganda. The Minister’s mandate letter also includes supporting the work of colleagues on several other initiatives relating to platform governance, including supporting the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry to create new regulations to better protect personal data as well creating a Data Commissioner.
• Building on its existing work to support democracy and social cohesion in Canada, PCH will work with all relevant stakeholders in moving this file forward and is following developments in international jurisdictions closely, and will engage in dialogues with them as needed.

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