Ottawa Claims New Online Harms Bill Would Set ‘High Bar’ for Determining What Constitutes Hate Speech

Ottawa says the amended definitions of hate speech under the new Online Harms Bill would set a “high bar” when determining whether online content counts as hate speech, emphasizing that offensive speech or criticisms of the government alone would not meet the threshold. “The concept of hatred would not include mere dislike or disdain, or acts that merely offend or humiliate, nor would it cover political dissent,” a government official said during a technical briefing on March 6. Bill C-63, introduced by the Liberal government on Feb. 26, seeks to reduce Canadians’ exposure to “harmful content” by establishing special protections for children and making online services like social media companies “accountable for and transparent about how they are reducing exposure to harmful content.”...