Ottawa's online safety bill welcomed, but falls short: B.C. AG
British Columbia says the federal government's new legislation addresses key concerns about social media age restrictions and AI chatbots, though some provincial priorities were not included.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
British Columbia's Attorney General Niki Sharma says the federal government's new online safety legislation addresses many of the province's concerns—but leaves one critical gap unfilled.
The proposed bill introduces age restrictions for social media and regulates companies behind AI chatbots, moves Sharma called essential. However, the legislation lacks a requirement for AI companies to report violent content to police, something B.C. specifically requested after OpenAI failed to flag concerning interactions between its chatbot and the Tumbler Ridge shooter, who killed eight people and then herself in February.
Sharma says Culture Minister Marc Miller told her the government wants to develop guidelines outlining platforms' responsibility to report certain content, even though specific requirements aren't in the current bill language.
The province is pushing for quick passage of the legislation to protect children vulnerable to social media harms, and Sharma said B.C. wants to remain at the table for future discussions on implementation.