“This bill will force social networks to do their part and protect people from harm and exploitation,” said Arif Virani, Canada’s justice minister, on Monday, February 26.

This Monday, February 26, Canada introduced a bill to combat online hate, forcing social networks to quickly delete incriminating content and imposing a life sentence for inciting genocide. A new digital security regulator would be responsible for enforcing these rules, which target companies like Facebook, X and Pornhub.

For Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government, this bill also aims to protect children from online predators.

“Right now it is too easy for social media companies to look the other way as hate and exploitation increases on their platforms,” said Justice Minister Arif Virani.

An “attack on freedom of expression”?

Under Bill C-63, Canadians were able to report content and request its rapid removal.

For conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, this bill is an “attack on freedom of expression.” He also believes the Trudeau government doesn't have to decide what constitutes “hate speech.”

The Canadian legislation comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is currently considering the constitutionality of laws that ban social networks from blocking users. These laws were passed by Florida and Texas to curb the “censorship” of conservative opinions that Republican elected officials regularly accuse the internet giants of.

Previous versions of Canada's bill, first proposed in 2021, were criticized by civil rights groups for stifling free speech.