Here's an in-depth look at the Trudeau Liberal government's strategy for regulating social media, covering proposed legislation, guiding principles, and evolving political dynamics.

1. 💬 Principle: Regulate With Caution to Protect Free Speech
Trudeau has emphasized that government regulation is a last resort, warning it could be misused by authoritarian regimes and suppress free speech. His preference is to partner with tech platforms first, but he won't hesitate to act if necessary
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2. 📜 Online Harms Act (Bill C‑63/C‑36)
Objective: Form a Digital Safety Commission of Canada and an independent ombudsperson to tackle the worst online harms: child sexual abuse imagery, non-consensual intimate content, cyberbullying, self-harm promotion, and extremist/hateful content
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Enforcement: Platforms must remove specified harmful content within 24 hours, or face fines up to 6% of global revenue
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Scope adjustments: Following public feedback, the scope was narrowed to severe content only—avoiding overreach. It excludes private/encrypted messaging
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Status: Passed the House but stalled in Senate; will likely be revisited post-2025 election
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3. 🗞 Online News Act (Bill C‑18)
Goal: Require tech platforms to compensate Canadian news outlets for hosting their content
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Outcome: Meta responded by blocking news sharing in Canada. Critics argue the law may suppress journalism's accessibility and limit free expression
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4. 📶 Broadcasting & Streaming Act (Bill C‑11)
The Online Streaming Act extends Broadcasting Act coverage to include user-generated content on platforms like YouTube, requiring them to adhere to CRTC licensing and Canadian content obligations
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5. 🕵��♀️ Foreign Interference & Misinformation Efforts
Trudeau launched a public inquiry on foreign interference, resulting in 51 recommendations, including the creation of an online misinformation watchdog
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Canada joined international efforts like the Christchurch Call and implemented Digital Charter protections for political ads and election integrity
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Enacted Bill C‑70 (Countering Foreign Interference Act) in June 2024, establishing a public foreign agent registry
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6. 🛑 Platform-Specific Measures
Proposed Digital Services Tax to incentivize advertising through Canadian channels
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TikTok: Currently restricted from government devices; a ban is under consideration, pending U.S. regulatory developments
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7. ⚖️ Critics vs. Support
Supporters highlight children's safety and accountability, noting alignment with global trends (e.g., UK's Online Safety Act) .

Critics (including Elon Musk, Michael Geist, Reddit voices) argue:

The Digital Safety Commission lacks due process and evidence safeguards
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Free speech concerns, especially relating to retrospective content removal and disproportionate penalties .

The Online News Act risks censorship and harms digital journalism
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✅ Quick Summary Table
Initiative   Aim   Enforcement   Concerns
Online Harms Act (C‑63)   Remove harmful content (child/exploitative)   24‑hour take‑down or 6% revenue fines   Free speech, due process
Online News Act (C‑18)   Support news outlets financially   Platform payments for linking/sharing   Journalism accessibility, censorship
Online Streaming Act (C‑11)   Regulate streaming content   CRTC licensing & Canadian content rules   Creator burden
Bill C‑70   Counter foreign interference   Registry & intelligence updates   —
Digital Services Tax   Tax digital ads to cascade ad spending   Tax adjustments   Trade disputes
TikTok ban consideration   Privacy/security of government devices   Device-level ban   Platform access

🧭 Overall Strategy
The Trudeau government's multi-pronged approach aims to:

Combat online harms and misinformation.

Support Canadian media financially.

Raise digital sovereignty and security.

Promote self-regulation—with regulatory backup if needed
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