Canada's liberal government on Monday introduced draft legislation aimed at safeguarding the population, particularly children, from online hate and other harmful content.
The proposed bill includes measures to increase criminal penalties for spreading hate on social media platforms, with those advocating genocide facing potential life imprisonment.
Under the proposed legislation, known as bill C-63, there would be tougher requirements for reporting child pornography, and a new digital safety regulator would be established to enforce rules targeting companies like Facebook, X, and Pornhub.
Canadians would be empowered to flag harmful content for swift removal, and complaints against hate speech could be filed at human rights tribunals, potentially resulting in compensation for victims. Social media companies may be required to implement parental controls limiting children's access to certain content or features.
"A growing body of evidence shows that online harms are a huge and growing problem. People are saying and doing things online that we would never tolerate in the physical world," a senior government official stated.
The proposed legislation draws parallels to similar regulations enacted in the EU and the UK last year. Meanwhile, in the US, the Supreme Court is deliberating over state laws aimed at limiting content moderation on social media platforms.
Previous versions of the bill faced criticism from privacy and civil liberties groups for potentially infringing on free speech. Conservative opposition leader Pierre Poilievre has also condemned the latest version as an "attack on freedom of expression."
Government data indicates that four in 10 Canadians are regularly exposed to online hate, while federal police report a significant increase in reporting of child exploitation over the past decade. Additionally, a recent study cited by Ottawa found that nearly two-thirds of women and girls in Canada experience online abuse or harassment monthly.
