Canada’s Conservative Party Proposes ‘Trustworthy’ Age Assurance Tech to Protect Minors Online

The Conservative Party of Canada has introduced a proposed online harms bill that aims to counter the Liberal government’s current digital legislation. The proposed bill, championed by MP Michelle Rempel Garner, seeks to prohibit the use of digital IDs for internet usage and intends to safeguard Canadians’ civil liberties, which Rempel Garner argues are threatened by the existing Liberal proposals. She stressed the importance of protecting vulnerable Canadians while avoiding the creation of a “government-managed surveillance state.”

The Conservative bill arises in response to the Liberal government’s Bill C-63, which is currently under consideration. Introduced by Justice Minister Arif Virani, Bill C-63 has been criticized for expanding the scope of “hate speech” prosecutions and proposing the creation of a Digital Safety Commission. This commission, along with a digital ombudsperson and the Digital Safety Office, would have broad authority to police internet content. Rempel Garner and her party view this as an overreach, alleging that the Liberal plan undermines Canadians’ Charter-protected speech rights.

In contrast, the Conservative bill emphasizes the protection of civil liberties, focusing on targeting online criminal behaviors without infringing on free expression. The bill will also address harmful online actions like the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, as well as deepfake AI-generated content.

Importantly, the bill will introduce stricter provisions to protect minors, including age-verification systems, though it will expressly avoid using digital IDs for this purpose.

A key aspect of the Conservative proposal is its focus on privacy-preserving technologies. Instead of implementing a digital ID system, which Rempel Garner claims could lead to undue surveillance, the bill advocates for more “trustworthy” age-verification methods to protect minors from harmful content. Garner explained that these methods could include “computer algorithms that ensure reliable age verification”.

Source: Todayville

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September 17, 2024 – by the ID Tech Editorial Team