MPs on the Commons Heritage Committee want parliament to penalize Google and Facebook if they fail to identify and isolate “undesirable or questionable” information on the internet.The committee complains of “conspiracy theories” and “disinformation” online, particularly as pertains to health matters, per Blacklock's Reporter.A report from the committee, entitled Tech Giants’ Intimidation and Subversion Tactics to Evade Regulation in Canada and Globally, indicates Liberal, New Democrat, and Bloc Québécois MPs, the committee’s majority, complained of “societal harms arising from unregulated social media platforms.”The Conservatives released a dissenting report arguing the internet “is boundless” and must not be regulated..Governor General takes special interest in promoting partisan Online Harms Bill.“The Government of Canada notes some individuals and groups create disinformation to promote political ideologies including extremist views and conspiracy theories or simply to make money,” reads the committee's report.“Disinformation creates ‘doubt and confusion’ and can be particularly harmful when it involves health information.”“It can also cause financial harms as well as political polarization and distrust in key institutions. The prevalence of disinformation can be difficult to determine.”“Witnesses described some of the major societal harms arising from unregulated social media platforms relying on algorithms to amplify content, among them disinformation and conspiracy theories. It did not define “disinformation” or “conspiracy theories.”.Conservatives predict failure of Online Harms bill.The committee’s majority recommended that Google, Facebook, and other social media platforms “put mechanisms in place to detect undesirable or questionable content that may be the product of disinformation or foreign interference and that these platforms be required to promptly identify such content and report it to users. Failure to do so should result in penalties.”Conservative MPs in a dissenting report said the committee misunderstood the internet’s role as communication between individuals where legal content should be free of regulation.“The main report failed to adequately explore the state of censorship in Canada and the role played by tech giants and the current federal government,” wrote Conservatives.“Canadians are increasingly being censored by the government and tech giants as to what they can see, hear, and say online.”“The internet is boundless. Anyone who wants to have a presence on the internet can have one.”“A government bureaucracy should not regulate which content should be prioritized and which should be demoted. There is space for all.”.Even Liberal MPs say Online Harms Act would threaten Canadians' right to free speech.The Commons is currently considering Bill C-63 An Act to Enact the Online Harms Act that would appoint a “digital safety commissioner” to act as ombudsman in monitoring legal but “harmful” online content. Administration costs would average $201 million over five years, according to a July 4 legislative costing note by the Budget Office.“Social media is everywhere,” Attorney General Arif Virani testified March 21 at the Commons Justice Committee.“It brings unchecked dangers and horrific content. This frankly terrifies me. We need to make the internet safe.”“My children’s Lego in our basement is subject to rigorous safety standards and testing before my two boys get their hands on it. I know these days my children spend much more time online than playing with their Lego. The most dangerous toy in my home right now and in every Canadian home are the screens our children are on."
