Italy’s PM is suing over deepfake porn. Could it happen in Canada? – National

The Italian prime minister is suing a man for allegedly creating a pornographic deepfake of her and uploading it to a U.S. website where it was reportedly viewed millions of times. Deepfakes, which are realistic simulations of people commonly used to make fake pornographic videos showing female celebrities or politicians, are becoming a growing concern … Read more

Will the online harms bill make platforms safer? Canadians split in poll – National

Fewer than half of Canadians believe the federal government’s plan to regulate social media sites will make platforms safer, a new survey suggests. Polling firm Leger recently asked Canadians about the Liberal government’s proposed Online Harms Act, which contains a suite of measures meant to make social media platforms safer, particularly for children. Half of … Read more

Online Harms Act not about ‘insults launched from a smartphone’: minister – National

Justice Minister Arif Virani is defending against criticism that the Liberals’ sweeping new online harms bill could have a chilling effect on free speech. Virani says the legislation is not about censoring “insults launched from a smartphone” but instead giving victims and law enforcement more tools to respond to a rising tide of hate in … Read more

Meta open to Online Harms Act talks, Pornhub reviewing legislation – National

One of the largest social media companies, Meta says it is open to talks with Ottawa on the Online Harms Act, while the pornography website Pornhub says it is reviewing the legislation. The Online Harms Act is a sweeping piece of legislation introduced Monday that primarily tasks online platforms with a duty to protect users … Read more