Ghayda Hassan and David Morin nominated to be part of an expert advisory group on online safety

Project Someone is pleased to announce that two of our collaborators, Dr. Ghayda Hassan and Dr. David Morin, have been selected by the Government of Canada be part of an expert advisory group on online safety which will provide advice on a revised approach to combatting harmful online content. This task is highly important, given that currently, “harmful content, such as hate speech, sexual exploitation of children and incitement to violence, is published online every day. There are no broad regulatory requirements in Canada that apply to platforms regarding their responsibilities in relation to such content.”

The creation of the committee was motivated by the fact that Canadians are spending more time than ever before online and are therefore exposed to a higher volume of harmful content. The expert advisory group, drawn from a variety of fields and areas of expertise, will be tasked with providing advice on a legislative and regulatory framework that will effectively address harmful content online. Drs. Hassan and Morin are uniquely qualified to participate, given their expertise in the prevention of radicalization and violent extremism.

As explained by David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, “Too many people and communities are victimized by harmful online content that is often amplified and spread through social media platforms and other online services. The Government of Canada believes that Canadians should have protection from harmful online content, while respecting freedom of expression. The creation of the expert advisory group on online safety shows our commitment to taking meaningful action to make our online environment safer and more inclusive for all Canadians.”

We are immensely proud that two of the twelve selected experts to do such important work are Project Someone collaborators. Congratulations Drs. Hassan and Morin!