#bill-c-63

The Canadian federal government's proposed Online Harms Act, Bill C-63, is advancing through the legislative process, sparking intense debate across the country. Aimed at creating a safer online environment, particularly for children, the bill introduces new regulations for social media platforms and establishes a Digital Safety Commission to enforce them. Critics, including civil liberties associations and tech experts, raise significant concerns about the bill's potential impact on freedom of expression, its broad definitions of harm, and the feasibility of its implementation, setting the stage for a complex balancing act between online safety and fundamental rights.

The Canadian government has introduced Bill C-63, the Online Harms Act, a comprehensive legislative framework aimed at protecting users, particularly children, from harmful online content. The bill proposes creating a new Digital Safety Commission to enforce new rules for social media platforms, imposing a duty to act responsibly. It also includes significant amendments to the Criminal Code and the Canadian Human Rights Act, introducing a new hate crime offense with severe penalties. The legislation has ignited a fierce debate, with critics from civil liberties groups raising serious concerns about its potential impact on free expression.