Who is supporting, opposing new online harms bill?
CTV
Now that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's sweeping online harms legislation is before Parliament, allowing key stakeholders, major platforms, and Canadians with direct personal experience with abuse to dig in and see what's being proposed, reaction is streaming in. CTVNews.ca has rounded up reaction, and here's how Bill C-63 is going over.
Now that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's sweeping online harms legislation is before Parliament, allowing key stakeholders, major platforms, and Canadians with direct personal experience with abuse to dig in and see what's being proposed, reaction is streaming in.
In short, the "Online Harms Act" creates new obligations for online platforms, livestreaming, and adult-content services such as Facebook, Twitch, and PornHub to reduce exposure to, empower users to flag, and be more transparent about how they handle seven categories of harmful content.
When it comes to content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor, as well as intimate content posted without consent, the online services would have to remove it within 24 hours or face strict penalties.
Further, the legislation proposes the creation of a new Digital Safety Commission to enforce the new regulatory framework, and a new Digital Safety Ombudsperson to enhance public awareness about the ills of the online world.
Tucked in, too, are Criminal Code reforms to beef up penalties for hate crimes and improvements to Canada's rules around the mandatory reporting of "internet child pornography" by internet service providers.
Bill C-63 sponsor Justice Minister Arif Virani told reporters on Tuesday that the Liberals "reflected very deeply on this bill," noting the extensive years-long consultations and deliberations that led up to the legislation's introduction on Monday.
So, what are those who the federal government consulted saying now?
A 32-year-old man has been charged with second-degree murder after the remains of a 57-year-old man were found inside a burned vehicle last week.
Five people in Edmonton have been arrested in connection with a series of extortions targeting the South Asian community.
A teen driver wasn’t hurt in an early morning crash that closed several roads in northeast Calgary, police said.
Rock band Mötley Crüe and DJ duo Kx5 will headline the FIFA Fan Festival Vancouver that will coincide with this summer’s 2026 World Cup.
One person has been arrested and charged after Sarnia police responded to an intimate partner violence call early Tuesday morning.
The province says plans are in the works to develop its own electronic medical records system for family doctors that will replace the “disconnected” software that currently prevents physicians from sharing information with other health-care professionals.
The Canada Revenue Agency says it will get rid of dozens of drop boxes used for tax filing and payments across the country after this tax season.
The Supreme Court of Canada will hear a challenge of a Liberal government ban on more than 1,500 different firearms models and variants.
One person is dead after a head-on crash in Ottawa’s west end Wednesday evening.
The insults and accusations are flying in the Manitoba legislature.
Home prices appear to be coming down in many areas of Canada, which could push more people to consider taking the plunge into the real estate market.
Nova Scotia MLA Rick Burns says he and his wife were recently victims of blackmail.