The federal government is making a third attempt in five years to expand oversight of online content, with legislation set to be introduced Wednesday that critics say could once again raise concerns about free speech and government regulation of the internet.Blacklock's Reporter says Attorney General Sean Fraser defended the forthcoming Digital Safety Act ahead of its introduction, arguing that protecting Canadians from online harms does not require sacrificing fundamental freedoms.“You don’t have to give up your freedoms in order to ensure people can live safe in a society,” Fraser told reporters.“Our entire constitutional structure is based upon the idea that we recognize there are some reasonable limits that we can insist upon to live in a free and democratic society.”The bill marks Ottawa's latest effort to regulate online activity after two previous attempts failed to become law. Similar legislation introduced in 2021 and 2024 sparked opposition from civil liberties advocates, digital rights groups and some opposition politicians who warned the measures risked government overreach and censorship.Fraser sought to reassure critics that the new legislation will differ from previous versions.“You should not expect to see the identical bill copied and pasted in its previous form,” he earlier told the Senate.Asked how the government intends to balance public safety with freedom of expression, Fraser rejected the premise that the two are inherently in conflict.“I don’t necessarily view safety and free speech to be at odds,” he said.Fraser also pointed to growing concerns among parents about the impact of online content on children.“We’re seeing a generation of parents, including me, who recognize there are potential harms for their children in this new environment that didn’t exist when I was a kid,” he said..The government's first attempt at online regulation came in 2021 through Bill C-36, which proposed the creation of a federal regulator with authority to block websites and oversee certain online content. A second effort, Bill C-63, introduced in 2024, proposed a digital safety ombudsman with more limited oversight powers.Fraser said governments have a responsibility to adapt laws as technology evolves.“It’s incumbent upon governments to recognize as society changes, as technological adoption increases, that we are respectful of people’s rights, but at the same time that we can make moves to address moderate challenges,” he said.“We live in a complex world where people need to be able to freely express themselves, but we also recognize there’s a unique responsibility to ensure there are harms that we are aware of, that we’re hearing about.”Canada's Criminal Code already contains provisions prohibiting hate speech, but previous Liberal proposals sought to broaden regulation to include online content considered likely to promote hatred or vilification against individuals or groups.The debate over internet regulation intensified in 2024 when then-attorney general Arif Virani told the House of Commons justice committee that online content posed serious risks.“It brings unchecked dangers and horrific content,” Virani said at the time. “This frankly terrifies me. We need to make the internet safe.”However, government-commissioned research released the same year suggested many young Canadians view social media positively. According to Public Safety Canada's Cyberbullying Public Awareness Research, 60% of youth surveyed described social media as “totally or mostly positive.”The report found that the most common negative online experiences involved name-calling and comments about physical appearance.
