Open-ended powers and social media ban for children under 16 in Bill C-34, the Social Media Safety Act, threaten civil liberties.
Yesterday, the federal government introduced Bill C-34, the Safe Social Media Act, with the stated goal of making the online activities of Canadians safer. The bill raises significant civil liberties concerns, including through the limitless powers it grants the government and a new digital safety regulator. “Greater transparency and accountability from tech companies is long overdue. But that must come through clear, targeted rules, not sweeping obligations and an open-ended government authority over any regulated service,” said Howard Sapers, Executive Director at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA). “A blank check for federal power is the wrong answer to a real problem.” “Bill C-34 introduces obligations which are so alarmingly broad that providers of regulated services will be tempted to over-comply at the expense of users’ freedom of expression and privacy rights,” Sapers added.
Read more.
Tagging: @newsfromstolenland















