Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre sees evidence of a plan to censor social media in a regulation that requires certain platforms to register with the federal government, as long as they record revenues in the eight figures.
“Justin Trudeau was warned that the online censorship law would censor what people can see and say online. The Liberals denied it. Now that’s exactly what they’re doing,” wrote in English the leader of the official opposition on X (formerly Twitter), Monday morning.
Mr. Poilievre also shared the comments of several members of his caucus shocked by the publication, Friday, of a regulation from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) which requires that large platforms register with it.
Any “broadcasting service” that earns $10 million in revenue per year or more is affected, including social networks. They have until November 28 to report to the regulatory authority and provide certain information about their activities. This is a first requirement under the Online Streaming Act (C-11).
Social networks included
Audiobook or video game services do not have to register, but any other platform “that distributes audio or audiovisual content intended to inform, enlighten or entertain” does. This includes, but is not limited to, social media, online subscription television services, podcasting services and, in general, any site that allows you to stream or download content.
“ [L’ex-ministre du Patrimoine canadien] Didn’t Pablo Rodriguez say that he was not going to regulate social media, that C-11 was only going to attack American web giants? »Reacted Conservative culture spokesperson Rachael Thomas.
“The government is now forming a podcast registry [podcasts] », added his Ontario colleague Melissa Lantsman.
An online petition on the Conservative Party website also postulates that “the Trudeau Liberals are desperate to police and control speech”, and that the latter “have now given themselves the power to control what Canadians can see and say online. »
No conservative elected official from Quebec had commented on the news of the obligation to register the platforms, first reported by the daily National Post Friday, as these lines were written. None of them were available to answer questions from the Duty Monday.
Disconnected from reality
On the contrary, the regulation on the registration of platforms is not surprising or unusual, according to Pierre Trudel, professor of communications law at the University of Montreal and collaborator at Duty. He calls the CRTC’s appeal a “mere formality”
“I think we really are in a complete disconnect with reality,” he said of fears about freedom of expression. According to Pierre Trudel, it is very clear that federal law is not intended to control what Internet users see or publish on social media.
“As a teacher, if a student writes this to me [l’analyse de Pierre Poilievre sur le récent règlement du CRTC], I put a big zero. You really don’t have to know how to read to say something as pathetic as that. »
The Liberal government obtained the support of the Bloc Québécois and the New Democratic Party in its project to reform the Broadcasting Act, with the objective of dictating certain rules to online broadcasters, such as paying for Canadian content and putting it on value.
The bill was primarily intended to apply to platforms like Netflix or Disney+, but sparked controversy by including certain social media, like YouTube.
The law only targets films, television series and music, and not YouTubers and other amateur videographers, assures the liberal government. This clarification must, however, be added by regulation, following a laborious and complex consultation process which lasts until the end of 2024.
In the meantime, the CRTC wishes to collect information on the large platforms which could be the subject of regulation, hence the call for registration launched on Friday. This data should allow it to better understand the ecosystem before drafting regulations concerning them.
It is now Minister Pascale St-Onge who must lead this reform, having inherited this portfolio following an imposing reshuffle of the Trudeau cabinet this summer.