Prime Minister Mark Carney says his government will move ahead this fall with legislation imposing new rules on social media platforms, including restrictions aimed at children and requirements dealing with content deemed harmful.Blacklock's Reporter says Carney confirmed the government’s plans for Bill C-34 as Liberal MPs gathered ahead of Parliament’s return following a 13-week summer recess.“We are fighting for Canada to lead the world in building the smart, safe digital tools of the next decade,” Carney told his caucus Friday.Bill C-34, An Act To Enact The Digital Safety Act, would establish a Digital Safety Commission of Canada and impose new obligations on regulated social media services.The legislation requires platforms to take measures concerning defined categories of harmful content and includes provisions intended to protect children. It also establishes a minimum-age regime for regulated social media services and age-related measures governing access to pornographic content.The bill defines harmful content to include material related to violent extremism and content that undermines or weakens fundamental institutions or political, economic or social stability when it could cause a serious risk to public health or safety.Bill C-34 follows previous Liberal attempts to regulate online harms. Bill C-36, introduced in 2021, and Bill C-63, introduced in 2024, failed to become law before their respective parliamentary sessions ended.Carney emphasized the child-safety provisions while discussing his government’s plans.“I know you are hearing the concerns of families and educators in your own communities,” Carney said.“Children are falling victim to sexual abuse, cyberbullying and extreme violence online. The current status quo is failing our kids and we’ll not stand by it.”Carney said Ottawa intends to safeguard the online environment for young Canadians while positioning Canada as a leader in digital technology.“We are safeguarding the digital world so our young people can be free and safe when they’re navigating it,” he said. “And we’ll fight for Canada to lead the world in building the smart, safe digital tools of the next decade, including in AI.”.Heritage Minister Marc Miller introduced Bill C-34 on June 10.“We had long policy discussions about what should be in and out of this bill,” Miller told reporters at the time.“It’s a trade-off,” he said. “There are reasonable restrictions on rights in this country.”The legislation gives the proposed Digital Safety Commission regulatory and enforcement responsibilities while requiring social media operators to implement measures addressing harmful content and provide users with tools to block other users and flag material.The latest push comes after Miller travelled to the United Kingdom for private meetings examining that country's approach to online regulation, according to an Access To Information memo cited in the original report.The Labour government has promoted measures aimed at countering extremism and strengthening what it describes as social cohesion, an approach that has also prompted debate over the balance between online safety and freedom of expression.
