The Canadian Federal Government introduced on Wednesday a bill to regulate social media chatbots and artificial intelligence (AI). The bill aims to require tech companies to act responsibly, such as regulating harmful online content, and establish a Digital Security Commission to oversee implementation.
Bill C-34, tabled in the House of Commons on Monday, mainly includes the following: Digital Security Law. If passed in its current form, the law will require technology companies to act responsibly. The duty requires social media companies to flag harmful content and reduce the risk of users being exposed to such content. In addition, technology companies will submit a digital security plan to a digital security commission with planned measures to fulfill their duty to act responsibly.
The legislation places great emphasis on child protection. It requires social media operators to ban content that sexually exploits children and, among other things, to prevent users from sending intimate content to underage users without consent. The Digital Safety Commission will address complaints about children’s exposure to the content. A key measure is the social media ban for those under 16 with mandatory age verification. Michael Geist, professor of data protection law at the University of Ottawa, said The law does not appear to make the ban temporary, even though major Canadian outlets have described otherwise. Tech companies can get around this requirement by convincing the Commission that they have sufficient safeguards in place to protect children. Geist criticized the adequacy requirement as relying solely on the governor on the council and commission, leaving it “staggeringly uncertain.”
AI regulation is another important aspect of the bill. The Digital Safety Act requires tech companies to disclose their criteria and processes for notifying law enforcement authorities when users pose a risk of harm to others. This bill is a direct response to the recent mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge incident in British Columbia. OpenAI is currently facing the challenge Complaints for failing to notify law enforcement when its users planned gun violence scenarios in the province. It is uncertain whether the company owes such a reporting obligation under applicable law. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, apologized for the company’s failure to report in April.
Geist’s observation about AI regulation is similar to that of child protection on social media. He argued that the law leaves it solely to the Commission to distinguish between AI companion services and productivity tools; The latter remains unregulated in the current draft law.
Social media and AI are at the center of government policy decisions around the world. Many countries – such as Australia and Malaysia – have introduced social media bans for minors. However, in late May, UN rights chief Volker Türk called on countries to avoid a blanket ban and adopt strict regulations that address the root causes of online harm. He claimed that this allows children to learn and engage with their community through online resources. The United Nations has also called for AI regulation that meets international human rights standards and ensures environmental justice.
