"End of recess for web giants"
(Ottawa) Because "people are tired", because "it is excessively problematic if we leave it in the hands of companies", the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Steven Guilbeault, wants "to ring the end of recess for giants of the web ”by tabling his bill
to ban hateful, violent and child pornography online.
to ban hateful, violent and child pornography online.
Because if there is one lesson he says he learned from his years of activism, it is that private companies do not discipline themselves on their own. “As a green man, I never believed in self-regulation. In the environment, there is never anyone who has been able to give me a conclusive or convincing demonstration that it works. I don't believe in that any more, ”he explains.
Without going into the details of the provisions of the legislative measure, Steven Guilbeault says that it provides, among other things, for the creation of a position of regulator who would be responsible for monitoring content on websites and web platforms - hate speech, publication of non-consensual images, incitement to violence, incitement to terrorism and child pornography are said to be in his sights.
"The regulator will have the power to implement the law and the regulations which will result from it, to carry out audits, possibly to impose fines", he enumerates. And not just small fines, he warns.
Without going into the details of the provisions of the legislative measure, Steven Guilbeault says that it provides, among other things, for the creation of a position of regulator who would be responsible for monitoring content on websites and web platforms - hate speech, publication of non-consensual images, incitement to violence, incitement to terrorism and child pornography are said to be in his sights.
"The regulator will have the power to implement the law and the regulations which will result from it, to carry out audits, possibly to impose fines", he enumerates. And not just small fines, he warns.
Steven Guilbeault, ministre du Patrimoine canadien
We're talking [fines] of millions, even tens of millions of dollars. We are talking about companies with huge turnover;
it has to have a material impact.
Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage
For users who see content removed or a canceled account and who would like to challenge the verdict of a social network, Ottawa is considering setting up an appeal mechanism. "A lot of people were probably happy about the fact that Donald Trump [got banned from Twitter and Facebook], but tomorrow morning, it could be you or me, and we would not know why ... it does not work", pleads the minister .
The definition of hate speech is said to be taken from the Supreme Court of Canada decision in Whatcott.
The assault on the Capitol as an argument
Steven Guilbeault has been working on this bill for several months. Before, therefore, the murderous assault on Capitol Hill that took place last January - an event that somehow comforted the minister in his action. “What's sad and tragic is that it didn't surprise me,” he says. It was like the culmination of something that we had seen coming for a long time. We didn't start working on this on January 6, of course, but that only strengthens our belief that it needs to be done. "
“In the physical world, you can't do all kinds of attacks on a person's integrity, make hate speech… without risking being the object of criminal prosecution, so why should you do we have a double diet? », Insists the minister, sorry that the
scourge affects women and racialized communities even more.
In addition, in a survey of hate speech and racism online released last week, Steven Guilbeault feels that social acceptability is there. In this poll carried out on behalf of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, 60% of participants believe that the
federal government should do more to prevent the spread of hate speech.
However, a favorable poll does not result in the passage of a bill. And on the political level, a left-right divide is emerging.
Members of the Conservative Party of Canada and Conservative columnists have already raised red flags, and the survey conducted by the firm Abacus shows that 50% of right-wing participants are more worried about the impact that government action could have on their freedom of movement. expression that the impact on hate speech online, against 19% on the left and 30% in the center.
Minister Guilbeault intends to table his legislation this winter. "I want to go fast because I may not have a lot of time," he says, before going in a little way. “At the same time, we must not go too fast, it is a delicate issue, there is the question of freedom of expression; we certainly do not want to interfere with freedom of expression. "
The “untenable” status quo, says Facebook
In parliamentary committee last Friday, Facebook Canada's director of public policy, Kevin Chan, said he viewed government intervention in a positive light. "We agree with regulations that would set basic standards for the kind of content that would be banned online and that would force social media companies to set up systems to enforce these standards," he said. declared to elected officials. The status quo leaving it to companies to decide what is and is not acceptable speech online is unsustainable in the long run, and lacks transparency and accountability. "
it has to have a material impact.
Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage
For users who see content removed or a canceled account and who would like to challenge the verdict of a social network, Ottawa is considering setting up an appeal mechanism. "A lot of people were probably happy about the fact that Donald Trump [got banned from Twitter and Facebook], but tomorrow morning, it could be you or me, and we would not know why ... it does not work", pleads the minister .
The definition of hate speech is said to be taken from the Supreme Court of Canada decision in Whatcott.
The assault on the Capitol as an argument
Steven Guilbeault has been working on this bill for several months. Before, therefore, the murderous assault on Capitol Hill that took place last January - an event that somehow comforted the minister in his action. “What's sad and tragic is that it didn't surprise me,” he says. It was like the culmination of something that we had seen coming for a long time. We didn't start working on this on January 6, of course, but that only strengthens our belief that it needs to be done. "
“In the physical world, you can't do all kinds of attacks on a person's integrity, make hate speech… without risking being the object of criminal prosecution, so why should you do we have a double diet? », Insists the minister, sorry that the
scourge affects women and racialized communities even more.
In addition, in a survey of hate speech and racism online released last week, Steven Guilbeault feels that social acceptability is there. In this poll carried out on behalf of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, 60% of participants believe that the
federal government should do more to prevent the spread of hate speech.
However, a favorable poll does not result in the passage of a bill. And on the political level, a left-right divide is emerging.
Members of the Conservative Party of Canada and Conservative columnists have already raised red flags, and the survey conducted by the firm Abacus shows that 50% of right-wing participants are more worried about the impact that government action could have on their freedom of movement. expression that the impact on hate speech online, against 19% on the left and 30% in the center.
Minister Guilbeault intends to table his legislation this winter. "I want to go fast because I may not have a lot of time," he says, before going in a little way. “At the same time, we must not go too fast, it is a delicate issue, there is the question of freedom of expression; we certainly do not want to interfere with freedom of expression. "
The “untenable” status quo, says Facebook
In parliamentary committee last Friday, Facebook Canada's director of public policy, Kevin Chan, said he viewed government intervention in a positive light. "We agree with regulations that would set basic standards for the kind of content that would be banned online and that would force social media companies to set up systems to enforce these standards," he said. declared to elected officials. The status quo leaving it to companies to decide what is and is not acceptable speech online is unsustainable in the long run, and lacks transparency and accountability. "
Mélanie Marquis
The Presse
https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/2021-02-01/discours-haineux/fin-de-la-recreation-pour-les-geants-du-web.php?utm_source=newsletter-la-matinale&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=202102010632-redac-matinale-aws
The Presse
https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/2021-02-01/discours-haineux/fin-de-la-recreation-pour-les-geants-du-web.php?utm_source=newsletter-la-matinale&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=202102010632-redac-matinale-aws