A digital expert says B.C.害羞草研究所檚 recent agreement with Meta and other digital companies around protecting youth online 害羞草研究所減robably害羞草研究所� represents the 害羞草研究所渂est outcome.害羞草研究所� But parts of the political opposition see the agreement as a 害羞草研究所渂ackroom deal害羞草研究所� at the expense of local news.
Brandon Laur, CEO of The White Hatter, a digital literacy and internet safety education specialist company, said last week害羞草研究所檚 agreement with the digital media companies to speed up the removal of 害羞草研究所渘on-consensual intimate images害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� so-called 害羞草研究所榬evenge porn害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� allows government to see results faster.
害羞草研究所淲orking together is probably better than 害羞草研究所業 am going to sue,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 he said. 害羞草研究所淗ow long did it take us to see changes with tobacco and now with pharmaceutical companies? That has taken years to deal with through the courts.害羞草研究所�
The agreement with X, formerly known as Twitter, Google, TikTok, Snap and Meta, the parent company of Facebook, emerged out of B.C.害羞草研究所檚 new online action table. The action table itself emerged after the B.C. NDP had placed Bill 12 害羞草研究所� the Public Health Accountability and Cost Recovery Act 害羞草研究所� on hold. The bill 害羞草研究所� which died last week with the end of the legislative session 害羞草研究所� would have allowed government to sue social media giants and other 害羞草研究所渂ig faceless corporations害羞草研究所� for 害羞草研究所渉urting people.害羞草研究所�
Government had modelled the law after legislation with which B.C. had sued tobacco companies, then later pharmaceutical companies.
But Laur pointed to legal experts, who have expressed skepticism about the ability to prove harm from social media.
害羞草研究所淭here are some predictable outcomes from that (consuming drugs), but measuring and quantifying harm from social media, that is way more difficult.害羞草研究所�
The agreement also speaks of government exploring 害羞草研究所渙pportunities for technology companies to help amplify official information for people in emergency situations like wildfires.害羞草研究所�
Meta, which blocks Canadian news from Facebook and Instagram because of the federal Online News Act, has also agreed to the 害羞草研究所渄issemination of reputable information available from official sources, such as government agencies and emergency services害羞草研究所� in case of wildfires. That agreement includes what government calls 害羞草研究所渁dvertising support害羞草研究所� from Meta and the other companies to amplify 害羞草研究所渁wareness of safety resources害羞草研究所� throughout the wildfire season.
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B.C. United害羞草研究所檚 Peter Milobar, MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson, an area that requently experiences wildfires, questioned that aspect of the agreement.
害羞草研究所淭his Premier, however, decided to sell out the local news industry to Facebook in a backroom deal in exchange for government advertising and a promise by Facebook to amplify NDP propaganda, conveniently in the months leading up to the provincial election,害羞草研究所� Milobar said.
That has real-world implications, because Meta害羞草研究所檚 on-going ban on local news continues to deny British Columbians, including current evacuees in the Fort Nelson area, access to local news posted via social media.
Eby has in the past complained about Meta害羞草研究所檚 block of local news and urged the company to re-consider.
Attorney-General Niki Sharma, meanwhile, defended the agreement against Milobar害羞草研究所檚 charges involving Facebook.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e doing that for people that are facing really stressful wildfire situations,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淲hen they need information 害羞草研究所� the Premier has been clear on this 害羞草研究所� we expect those platforms to deliver that information straight from the ministry. We害羞草研究所檙e going to continue to do that work. We害羞草研究所檙e very proud of it.害羞草研究所�
Laur acknowledged problems with Meta害羞草研究所檚 role in amplifying government messages, when it blocks out local news.
害羞草研究所淵es, it does make it that the government is the sole messenger,害羞草研究所� Laur said. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 the only story that goes through. If there (are) any competing challenges to the (government) messaging害羞草研究所hose contents and messages can害羞草研究所檛 be shared.害羞草研究所�
But Laur also tried to put things into perspective.
害羞草研究所淚 do see that there is a challenge, but on a balance of probability in terms of mitigating harm, I think getting warnings out to people is more important, especially evacuation orders, than any disagreements about government messaging that there might be.害羞草研究所�
The online action table will meet again in the fall and government has said that it always has the option of re-tabling the legislation, assuming re-election.
