Online Harms Consultation

Update: The consultation is now closed – stay tuned for when the government tables an online harms bill based on this consultation. Thanks to everyone who participated!

The government has launched a public consultation to hear Canadian’s views on their proposed new framework for dealing with 5 online harms. As Defend Dignity exists to end sexual exploitation, we are only focusing on 2 of those harms: CSAM and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images. We’d like to see many things changed but have highlighted 3 of our priorities below.

• Ensure that sites who frequently host CSAM and/or intimate images shared without consent do not receive criminal immunity from past offenses and will be held criminally responsible if they do not comply with the regulatory demands
• Sites must be required to take robust proactive measures to prevent uploading CSAM and/or intimate images shared without consent, including verifying the age & consent of all those depicted prior to hosting content
• Adopt the proposed changes to strengthen the Mandatory Reporting Act
To get all the details & read the proposed framework: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/harmful-online-content.html