History of Canada's Online Harms Efforts

AI chatbots are encouraging violence, social media is hurting kids, and Ottawa is still trying to figure out how to regulate the harms of the internet after two very public failed attempts. Host Noor Azrieh and Taylor Owen, professor and member of the federal task force on AI and online safety, dig into the federal government’s latest Online Harms push. 

Why does regulating the internet, especially its nastier corners, keep proving so hard to actually do?

PLUS, we hear from Thomas Juneau, former defence analyst and current professor of Middle Eastern security & intelligence, on what a possible Canadian intervention in the region could look like.

Host: Noor Azrieh

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Mia Johnson (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)

Guests: Taylor Owen, Thomas Juneau

Background reading:

• Canada could be the next nation to ban social media for kids – POLITICO
• Online harms bill needs framework for reporting threats in AI chats, experts say – The Globe and Mail
• Justin Ling: Canada has studied the problem of online harms enough. Now we need to solve it – Toronto Star
• The world wants to ban children from social media, but there will be grave consequences for us all | Taylor Lorenz – The Guardian
• Canada’s rhetorical support for the war on Iran has an audience of one: Donald Trump– The Globe and Mail

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