A digital expert says B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 recent agreement with Meta and other digital companies around protecting youth online 香蕉视频直播減robably香蕉视频直播� represents the 香蕉视频直播渂est outcome.香蕉视频直播� But parts of the political opposition see the agreement as a 香蕉视频直播渂ackroom deal香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檚 agreement with the digital media companies to speed up the removal of 香蕉视频直播渘on-consensual intimate images香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� so-called 香蕉视频直播榬evenge porn香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� allows government to see results faster.
香蕉视频直播淲orking together is probably better than 香蕉视频直播業 am going to sue,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈 he said. 香蕉视频直播淗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.香蕉视频直播�
The agreement with X, formerly known as Twitter, Google, TikTok, Snap and Meta, the parent company of Facebook, emerged out of B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 new online action table. The action table itself emerged after the B.C. NDP had placed Bill 12 香蕉视频直播� the Public Health Accountability and Cost Recovery Act 香蕉视频直播� on hold. The bill 香蕉视频直播� which died last week with the end of the legislative session 香蕉视频直播� would have allowed government to sue social media giants and other 香蕉视频直播渂ig faceless corporations香蕉视频直播� for 香蕉视频直播渉urting people.香蕉视频直播�
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.
香蕉视频直播淭here are some predictable outcomes from that (consuming drugs), but measuring and quantifying harm from social media, that is way more difficult.香蕉视频直播�
The agreement also speaks of government exploring 香蕉视频直播渙pportunities for technology companies to help amplify official information for people in emergency situations like wildfires.香蕉视频直播�
Meta, which blocks Canadian news from Facebook and Instagram because of the federal Online News Act, has also agreed to the 香蕉视频直播渄issemination of reputable information available from official sources, such as government agencies and emergency services香蕉视频直播� in case of wildfires. That agreement includes what government calls 香蕉视频直播渁dvertising support香蕉视频直播� from Meta and the other companies to amplify 香蕉视频直播渁wareness of safety resources香蕉视频直播� throughout the wildfire season.
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B.C. United香蕉视频直播檚 Peter Milobar, MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson, an area that requently experiences wildfires, questioned that aspect of the agreement.
香蕉视频直播淭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,香蕉视频直播� Milobar said.
That has real-world implications, because Meta香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檚 block of local news and urged the company to re-consider.
Attorney-General Niki Sharma, meanwhile, defended the agreement against Milobar香蕉视频直播檚 charges involving Facebook.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e doing that for people that are facing really stressful wildfire situations,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淲hen they need information 香蕉视频直播� the Premier has been clear on this 香蕉视频直播� we expect those platforms to deliver that information straight from the ministry. We香蕉视频直播檙e going to continue to do that work. We香蕉视频直播檙e very proud of it.香蕉视频直播�
Laur acknowledged problems with Meta香蕉视频直播檚 role in amplifying government messages, when it blocks out local news.
香蕉视频直播淵es, it does make it that the government is the sole messenger,香蕉视频直播� Laur said. 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 the only story that goes through. If there (are) any competing challenges to the (government) messaging香蕉视频直播hose contents and messages can香蕉视频直播檛 be shared.香蕉视频直播�
But Laur also tried to put things into perspective.
香蕉视频直播淚 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.香蕉视频直播�
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.
