American progressives always sound better in the original Chinese, but perhaps some Canadian English will do. Canada has just passed C-11, a regulatory package that gives the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission control of the internet.
C-11 has given the government the ability to regulate user content on social media, it has given itself the ability to censor content that it doesn’t like, but, more importantly, it has given itself the ability to control every aspect of your online experience. We are potentially moving from the open and rambunctious world wide web to a controlled online experience where we can access what the government allows us to access.
We watched as Canada censored, silenced, arrested, and even demanded banks freeze the accounts of people protesting its policies. It became clear it was willing to do almost anything to end protests and objections to its behavior. How would this not be worse when it comes to streamed internet content?
Given that radio stations are required to ensure that 35% of the popular music they play is Canadian content, how far-fetched is it that this will be the case for Canadian consumers of Spotify, Apple Music or Amazon? What about a CRTC decree that Netflix or Paramount Plus must stream a certain amount of Canadian content to be allowed to operate here in Canada? …
We have entered the great unknown for the future of the online world in Canada. All the major platforms that we use each and every day are now regulated by the CRTC.
Not long ago, Canada was prosecuting so-called hate speech laws in kangaroo courts, so what are the odds they’ll abuse this? I’m going with “inevitable.” As soon as the regulators can get their feet underneath them, they’ll be trampling on people’s rights as quickly and as often as possible.
American progressives will be jealous.
They have been pining for something like this here, but that’s a tougher row to hoe. America’s free speech protections are unique in the world. Even the FBI is in trouble for colluding with social media platforms to interfere in elections and censor content to which the political elite object.
The American left may have to console itself with the knowledge that the Canadian government can and will censor content from the US in Canada.
Exit question(s): Is C-11 incentive enough for whiney progs to actually move to Canada – like they promised, knowing they would not be subject to speech they oppose? And how long before they realize what that truly means?
Put another way, are they stupid enough to believe that they will never disagree with the government or that – once given free rein – it would never censor them?
