WHEREAS    the digital world poses significant risks to children, including sexual exploitation, promotion of self-harm, bullying, and exposure to hateful content, and

 WHEREAS    Bill C-63, introduced to the House of Commons on February 26, 2024 by Justice Minister Arif Virani, proposes a new Online Harms Act to create regulations that hold social media services accountable for reducing exposure to harmful content on their platforms, and

WHEREAS   on December 4, 2024 Virani announced the Liberals’ online harms legislation will now proceed on two different tracks with one bill to tackle protections for children, combating online child sex predators and policing revenge porn and the second bill to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and Criminal Code to deal with inciting violence, terrorism or engaging in hate speech (1.), and

 WHEREAS    the Online Harms Act specifically targets seven types of harmful content, including content that sexually victimizes children, content used to bully children, and content that induces children to harm themselves, and

WHEREAS    the proposed legislation aims to promote online safety for all Canadians, with a specific emphasis on children’s physical and mental health

 WHEREAS    the Act would establish a Digital Safety Commission of Canada to
administer the framework and a Digital Safety Ombudsperson of Canada to
be a resource for users and victims, and

WHEREAS   the implementation of an Online Harms Act in Canada is a critical step in protecting children in digital spaces and promoting their safety, health, and well-being online;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the PEI Home and School Federation requests the Government of Canada to enact the Online Harms Act, with a focus on measures that protect children from online exploitation, bullying, and harmful content; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the PEI Home and School Federation calls upon social media platforms and online service providers to fully comply with the requirements of the Online Harms Act, implementing comprehensive safety measures to protect children and youth using their services.

BACKGROUND:
1. Liberals split online harms bill to postpone debate over policing hate speech Minister says protecting kids from violent threats, child sex predators, revenge porn will be a priority CBC Dec. 4, 2024 https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/liberal-government-split-online-harms-bill-1.7400882