Question Period Note: Regulation of social media Platforms

The November 2021 Speech from the Throne, restates the Government’s commitment to continue “to fight harmful content online.” The Department published a proposed approach to address harmful content online for consultation and feedback regarding what tools and approaches are most effective and appropriate going forward to combat harmful online content. The consultation closed on September 25, 2021, and the Department is reviewing submissions.

• Our Government is committed to putting in place a more equitable regulatory framework to govern online platforms in Canada. They must do their part to fight harmful content online.
• Over the summer, we opened up the conversation on how to best tackle this content by publishing a proposal for public comment. We are in the process of analyzing what Canadians had to say about our proposed approach.
• 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.

• The mandate of the Department of Canadian Heritage (PCH) includes the promotion of a greater understanding of human rights, fundamental freedoms and related values.
• The November 2021 Speech from the Throne (SFT) continues the engagement taken in the previous 2020 SFT, when the Government committed to redoubling its efforts in taking action on online hate by creating new regulations for social media platforms, starting with a requirement that all platforms remove illegal content, including hate speech. The January 2021 mandate letter to the Minister of Canadian Heritage stipulated that he work with colleagues to take action on combatting hate groups and online hate and harassment, ideologically motivated violent extremism and terrorist organizations.
• In the context of this earlier commitment, the Government held a public consultation that closed on September 25, 2021, on The Government’s proposed approach to address harmful content online. Officials are currently analyzing the submissions. News articles and some submissions made publicly available by stakeholders were not in support of the proposal.
• 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.
• A number of the Government of Canada’s departments have been 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.

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