Will Canada become the next global leader in tackling online abuse?
Photo credit: Jason Hafso @jasonhafso from Unsplash
We must not let the political turbulence in the UK result in important policy falling through the cracks.
Former Prime Minister Liz Truss indicated tweaks would be made to the draft online safety legislation. How far will the “tweaks” go? Will current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak re-enforce or water down the draft? Will legislation be forgotten amidst the shuffle? These are the questions on the minds of those dedicated to making the internet a safer space for everyone. There is speculation on what changes may be made - namely that it will refocus the legislation to apply to children only, or loosen restrictions on what constitutes legal but harmful speech. As a community, we won’t know how far it will go until we see the legislation.
For months, I have been commending Europe and the UK as leaders in combating online abuse. An issue that impacts people of all ages, demographics, and all across the world. It is hard to believe that at a time when the European Union recently passed the Digital Services Act - groundbreaking legislation that provides a framework to further a safe and trustworthy online environment for consumers, the eruption of applause from the community tackling this issue around the world has resulted in the UK’s legislation being water down, instead of strengthened. It is disappointing, frustrating, and a step backwards to creating safe communities online.
What is critical now is that the information gathered and momentum is not for nothing. Canada has been doing its own consultation on the issue of online toxicity and abuse - and the community is eager to see consultation turn into action. Canada should step up and use the groundwork done in Europe to carry our own legislation across the finish line. The more countries that adopt strong legislation to keep people safe online, the more likely others are to follow suit - creating the global change we need.
Given how many people see the toxicity online everyday with their own eyes, it is frustrating how we still need to continually justify this problem. Non-profits, like the YWCA Canada, are dedicating their 2022 week without violence to supporting victims of online hate, the Samara Centre for Democracy is tracking the violence uttered towards political candidates online, The Female Drive and Team Heroine are devoting resources to improving online abuse in sport. In all of these scenarios, online abuse is diminishing people’s ability to enter into and thrive in the community or profession of their choice.
The issue of trolling and online harassment spreads like wildfire. The longer it is left unchecked, the worse this problem will be. This is what needs to happen in order for this to change.
First, the federal government needs to implement legislation that protects citizens from abuse with strong standards for service providers and users.
Second, in the short term, platforms must make it easier to report toxicity, and work with law enforcement to charge people under those laws. What is illegal offline should be illegal online. In the long term, platforms must start to change the algorithms that polarize us to nudge people away from negativity and towards respectful language.
Third, organizations need to have a higher standard for duty of care for their employees and take accountability for doing something to mitigate the impacts of the abuse and harassment their people face on the job, when that job includes a public profile on social media.
Fourth, we need to bring more awareness about the impacts our words and actions can have online, both positive and negative. If we can create digital communities that feel safe enough, we will feel more confident and able to stand up for our fellow citizens. This could be our most powerful opportunity for countering online abuse and harms.
Fifth, and finally, software solutions are a critical piece to solving this problem with automated layers of accountability to track and counteract online abuse and toxicity to ensure one’s right to a safe and inclusive digital space.
The government, law enforcement, employers, social media companies, and service provider - all have a role to play, and they all must work together to implement solutions and consult with those most affected by online toxicity and abuse.
The internet knows no borders. Toxic tweets in Europe can easily be seen in North America, and vice versa. Let’s continue to put pressure on governments to create strong legislation. As the UK may fall behind in the race to make the internet safer, this can be a clear opportunity for Canada to establish itself as a global leader in tackling online abuse by taking legislation across the finish line.
