Rebel Media lawsuits target journalists, chill speech, says reporter facing litigation
Two lawsuits launched by Rebel Media against media outlets have been dismissed under Ontario’s anti-SLAPP law, a sign that the law is working to protect press freedom, say journalists still facing litigation from the far-right website. Earlier this month, Ontario Superior Court Justice James Diamond ruled in favour of Al Jazeera and Brendan DeMelle for […]
On reducing harm, improving democratic expression on the internet
“Today, anyone can own a corner of the internet. More people than ever can benefit from enhanced access to knowledge, community and collective action. But there is also the darker side. Along with a more open and accessible public square has come a less trustworthy and safe one. This represents one of the central paradoxes […]
‘Canadians have grown impatient’: regulation of social media in the works, but Parliamentarians wary
As the federal government looks to set down rules around hate and harmful speech online, MPs and experts are still unclear as to what the legislation is going to look like, but all say there’s work to be done to tamper some of the unsavoury elements of social media in Canada’s political discourse. Liberal MP […]
Hate and paranoia abound in political social media, as federal Liberals prepare to intervene
Expressions of hate and paranoia, and conspiracy theories with roots in the United States have become a staple of Canadian political Facebook pages, as the Liberal government prepares legislation to crack down on social media platforms that don’t remove hate speech quickly enough. The Liberal Party of Canada Facebook page is no exception. It doesn’t […]
‘The closest equivalent is Afghanistan’: Canadian correspondents on navigating the Washington insurrection
Canadian reporters on the scene for the insurrection on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., earlier this month say the atmosphere reminded them of covering Afghanistan, rife with violence and escalating anger. It was just one of the events that marked coverage of the U.S. under the Donald Trump administration as considerably different from covering politics […]
Feds should establish regulator to rein in ‘Wild West’ of social media, says report
Ottawa should move to establish a new regulator with the power to rein in the “Wild West” of social media, giving the body oversight in holding tech giants accountable for the proliferation of harmful, hateful content on their platforms, says a government-funded report. In a study released Wednesday by the Public Policy Forum’s Canadian Commission […]
Twitter’s crackdown on Trump ‘a Band-Aid on a wound,’ say politicos
The de-platforming of outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump by various social media companies is akin to putting a Band-Aid on a wound and should prompt deep reflection about the conditions that led to the political violence in the U.S., say some politicians. Mr. Trump was impeached on Jan. 13 by the U.S. House of Representatives […]
The Bye bye is a great Quebec tradition
MONTREAL—Happy New Year. Bonne Année. It began with a laugh, as I joined four million viewers in the annual New Year’s Eve ritual of le Bye bye, as it is known here. The Radio-Canada program is a satirical variety show of skits skewering the powerful and satirizing the year’s events. But it is much more: […]
Conservatives rushing for the back of the truth line
CALGARY—As we round out the end of this traumatic year and look forward to a depressing Christmas and New Year’s, we are reminded that the appearance of a COVID-19 vaccine has brought with it one of the most insidious villains of our time: disinformation. Jane Lytvynenko of Buzzfeed News, whose reporting on misinformation, disinformation, and […]
Press Gallery drafts ‘generally accepted journalistic principles and practices’ white paper, as it rejects Rebel Media for membership
The Parliamentary Press Gallery is seeking to highlight “generally accepted journalistic principles and practices” to provide transparency in the decision-making process for accrediting journalists. The release of the draft of the white paper came on the same day that the Press Gallery revealed two individuals from Rebel Media—Keean Bexte and David Menzies—were denied membership. To […]
