Canada launches new Digital Charter tackling hate speech online

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced the launch of Canada’s Digital Charter which aims to protect Canadian citizens online and developing more stringent rules governing social media platforms. Mr Trudeau stated that ‘platforms are failing their users and […] our citizen, [therefore], they have to step up in a major way to counter disinformation […] and if they don’t, we will hold them into account and there will be meaningful financial consequences’. In addition to increasing platforms’ responsibility for content management, the Charter comprises a wider 10-principle programme encompassing universal internet access in Canada, open government data, digital literacy programmes, data management and security online.