Canada passes its duplicitous online censorship bill

Canada’s controversial Online Streaming Act, Bill C-11, will become law. Bill C-11 reforms the Broadcasting Act to apply to online content. Streaming services like YouTube, Spotify, and Netflix will be forced to follow the same rules that apply to traditional broadcasters and will be regulated by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). Streaming services will be required to invest in and prioritize Canadian content. Critics of the bill have warned that it would negatively impact individual content creators and give the government control of the content Canadians see online. “Liberal” politicians have said that it’s worth it. Online platforms also criticized the bill, with YouTube running a campaign to warn content creators that the bill could affect their income. The Senate proposed several amendments that were rejected by the lower chamber. However, the passed bill included “public assurance” that it “will not apply to user-generated digital content” because it doesn’t regulate the independent content uploaders themselves. However, it does apply to the platforms that these users upload their content to and so the independent creators are affected. The government insisted that the bill contains adequate safeguards to protect individual content creators and rejected amendments with further protection because they would affect its ability to “publicly consult on, and issue, a policy direction to the CRTC to appropriately scope the regulation of social media services.” The bill gives the CRTC discretion to determine how to enforce it. Only moments after the passing of the bill, groups that say they’re representing…Canada passes its duplicitous online censorship bill