A new expert advisory group will advise federal legislation and regulatory frameworks on harmful content online.
Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage, and David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, announced the group earlier this week as the next step in developing legislation around the subject matter.
“We’re asking the expert advisory group to go back to the drawing board. We need to address this problem openly and transparently as a society,” Rodriguez said.
“I’m grateful to the experts who will dedicate their time and experience in the next few months to helping us tackle this complex issue. It’s too important to not get right,” he continued.
The advisory group will host nine workshops discussing the multiple components of the regulatory framework and will engage with digital platforms and other stakeholders. All work and discussions relating to the group will be available for Canadians to access, a press release from Canadian Heritage states.
“The creation of the expert advisory group on online safety shows our commitment to taking meaningful action to make our online environment safer and more inclusive for all Canadians,” Lametti said.
The advisory group is the next step in taking action on the matter. Last summer, the government launched a consultation to get public opinion on a paper outlining a proposal to regulate platforms and combat harmful online content.
This led to a report with various facts, including 62 percent of residents wanting more regulations for online hatespeech.
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Source: Canadian Heritage
