Canada introduces draft legislation aimed at protecting its citizens, particularly children, from online harms and hate speech, proposing stricter penalties for offenders, including potential life imprisonment for advocating genocide.
The proposed Online Harms Act, presented by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government, would hold tech platforms accountable for removing harmful content within 24 hours of a request and empower Canadians to report hate speech to a human rights tribunal for possible compensation for victims.
The legislation defines seven categories of harmful content, including non-consensual intimate content, hate speech, incitement to violence, and content promoting self-harm among children.
It also mandates the establishment of a digital safety commission to enforce these standards and requires tech companies to implement features such as parental controls and safe search settings to protect children online.
While the government emphasizes the importance of safeguarding freedom of expression, it underscores the need for better protections against online harms, especially for children.
The bill faces opposition from conservatives, with criticism focusing on concerns about potential limitations on free speech.
The proposed legislation aligns with similar efforts in other Western countries, such as the UK’s Online Safety Law and the EU’s Digital Services Act, reflecting a global trend toward regulating online content moderation and combating hate speech.