Happy Press Freedom Week from the Liberal Party of Canada
When someone tells you what they want to do with the internet, believe them.
Even for the Natural Governing Partyᵀᴹ this is so brazen, I feel a bit like Ron Burgundy when he found out what his dog did in the refrigerator.
The Liberal Party policy convention is underway in Ottawa with delegates preparing to debate a series of policy proposals that could ultimately make their way into their national election platforms. Party members voted on the top 20 proposals for discussion and included one involving the media and online information that seems obviously unconstitutional and a direct threat to a freedom of the press. The proposal, purportedly aimed at addressing misinformation, calls for more government funding for the media and that the government explore options to “hold on-line information services accountable for the veracity of material published on their platforms and to limit publication only to material whose sources can be traced.”
The notion that the problem with the media is the lack of government funding to enable a shift to ad-free news misdiagnosis the misinformation challenge as one linked primarily to advertising. Ironically, it would entrench existing media outlets and limit new news outlets and innovation. But even worse is that on the same week that the government celebrated press freedom week, the Liberal party is considering a proposal that would represent a stunning limitation on those freedoms. It is not clear precisely who would be covered by “online information services”, but the outcome is dangerous no matter the scope. Is this all news outlets with a focus on their online presence? Is it online-only news sources? Is this far broader and designed to encompass Internet platforms such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok (note the reference to “platforms”) with requirements that they be held accountable for posts without traceable sources?
Moreover, what does “traceable sources” mean? Does it mean the media outlet must out the sources and thus be unable to rely on anonymous sources or whistleblowers? Does it mean that there must be a link to original documents or other articles included in the post? Does it mean that sources must be kept on hand and subject to government audits on the posts or articles?
Stop giving them ideas, Professor Geist.
This comes shortly after the Trudeau government passed Bill C-11, giving the federal government the power to control online streaming platforms to promote Liberal-Party-approved propaganda appease Rogers, Bell and the CBC “level the playing field” for Canadian content creators. That Canadians making content people actually want to watch are squarely opposed to the legislation is an insignificant detail.
Viktor Orban fansite proprietor Rod Dreher famously came up with the “Law of Merited Impossibility” for a phenomenon where progressives insist this thing will never ever happen, and when it does happen it will be because you right-wing bigots deserve it.
Using that as my guide, I figure the Liberals’ decidedly Orbanesque proposal for online news will play out along these lines:
“We aren’t going to censor the internet. That’s crazy. You conservatives are so paranoid.”
“Oh, that’s just a policy resolution from a few Liberal Party activists. It’s not actually a law. Don’t get carried away.”
“What’s wrong with censoring the internet, anyway? Look at all of the misinformation out there! Why are you okay with that?”
“Publicly curating online content is the Canadian thing to do, as opposed to having an American-style unregulated internet.”
Based on Michael Geist’s Twitter responses, we’re in a transition period between steps 2 and 3.
It’s at times like this that the little angel and devil on my shoulders fight it out over whether I should stand by my principles and continue opposing this kind of thing should the Conservatives win the next election and start using these powers for their own benefit, or whether the #TruAnon community should have their own medicine forcibly poured down their throats. I’ll let you know who wins.