2024-Q4 Prioritizing Proactive Legislation to Address Online Harm
Whereas #1 the rapid advancement of digital technology presents new and evolving risks to the safety and well-being of Canadian citizens online; and
Whereas #2 online harms, including online hate speech, misinformation, the sexual exploitation of children, youth and non consenting adults, cyber-harassment and bullying and incitement to violence all pose significant threats to individuals and society as a whole; and
Whereas #3 the Government of Canada has not legislated that social media platforms ensure user safety and transparency in handling harmful content; and
Whereas #4 the Government of Canada has not integrated protection measures nor addressed the possible harm posed by AI technology into the framework of any proposed legislation to protect Canadians from encountering harm online; therefore be it
Resolved #1 that the National Council of Women adopt as policy that the Government of Canada prioritize and expedite the development and implementation of proactive legislation and regulations to address current, new, and developing online platforms and technologies; and be it further
Resolved #2 that the National Council of Women of Canada urge the Government of Canada to:
a) prioritize the development and implementation of proactive legislation and regulations to address current, new, and developing online platforms and technologies;
b) ensure that any legislation include clear definitions of harmful content, establish accountability measures for online platforms, and provide resources for enforcement and oversight;
c) ensure comprehensive and inclusive policy development;
d) adopt protection directives as outlined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child;
e) establish ongoing monitoring mechanisms to assess the effectiveness of online harm legislation;
f) extend the monitoring to include alerting the government to emerging online threats not addressed by existing legislation; and be it further
g) ensure that the Bill does not devolve into censorship
Resolved #3 that the National Council of Women of Canada urge its membership to engage and amplify these calls with their respective local and regional jurisdictions as well as civil society.