This past week in digital policy was dominated by Bill C-34, the Safe Social Media Act, which includes platform regulation, an under-16 social media ban backed by mandated age verification, a new AI chatbot regulatory regime, and the creation of a powerful Digital Safety Commission. I have posted daily on the bill, including my
One of the most heavily promoted features of Bill C-34, the government’s Safe Social Media Act, is that its social media ban for those under 16 comes with a potential exemption for platforms that satisfy the new Digital Safety Commission that they provide adequate safeguards for children. But based on comments from government officials,
There has been no shortage of posts on this site on Bill C-34. For those looking for a podcast version of some of the analysis, this week I sat down with the Globe and Mail’s The Decibel podcast for a conversation with Sherrill Sutherland on the bill, the social media ban, and the risks of
The government is set to introduce privacy reform next week with the “fundamental right to privacy” expected to serve as a foundational element of the forthcoming bill. Yet as the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security continues its clause-by-clause review of Bill C-22, Liberal MP Sima Acan last night offered a stunning perspective
On June 2, 2026, President Donald Trump issued an executive order (EO), “Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security.” The EO directs U.S. government departments and agencies to accelerate AI-enabled cybersecurity initiatives to:
The government’s plan to address online safety was introduced yesterday with Bill C-34, the Safe Social Media Act, featuring an under-16 social media ban, pornography age verification, AI chatbot rules, and platform regulation that I argued amount to an everything-all-at-once approach built on a “trust us” bet. My initial guide to the bill highlighted
This Sunday, June 14 (“Flag Day,” if you can remember that holiday), the White House will host on its South Lawn the “UFC Freedom 250” mixed martial arts festival, which will show the subtlety and sophistication of Donald Trump’s taste in entertainment and the arts. After the courts ordered that his name come off the
Thank you, Jim [Febeo]. I am delighted to be part of the Summit. My views are my own as a Commissioner and not necessarily those of the Commission or my fellow Commissioners. My days of giving that disclaimer are rushing to an end. After nearly thirty years in DC, I am leaving the city and
The government tabled Bill C-34, the Safe Social Media Act, earlier today, marking its third attempt at online harms legislation after the failed 2021 consultation and Bill C-63, the Online Harms Act that died on the order paper when Parliament was prorogued ahead of the 2025 election. As I wrote on the day
The government will introduce the Digital Safety Act later today, with the headline being a ban on social media for those under 16. I’ve posted extensively on why a social media ban is an ineffective and harmful policy that raises privacy concerns for tens of millions of Canadians by mandating age verification. Yet beyond bad
