International cooperation needed in dealing with online exploitation: Lametti

In order for the federal government to best deal with sexual exploitation online -- and particularly that involving children -- as it considers forming a new anti-online harm regulator, it will have to continue working on bolstering effective international cooperation, according to Minister of Justice and Attorney General David Lametti. During a hearing on protection of privacy and reputation online at the House of Commons Ethics committee Monday, Lametti said Canada’s laws on sexual exploitation of citizens are “fairly exhaustive and clear.” “The challenge is the international context. It’s a matter of strengthening the enforcement of the law and to conduct investigations which are often international in scope, so we’re talking collaboration with other countries and other police forces throughout the world,” he said. The committee has been tackling the issue of how to hold companies such as MindGeek, which operates Pornhub and several other sexual content sharing platforms and has an office in Montreal, accountable as they are accused of hosting illegal content. A new anti-harm regulator currently in discussion as part of forthcoming legislation from Hertiage Minister Steven Guilbeault could potentially deal with content exploiting children and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images as well as issues such as hate speech, terrorism and violent content. As it is established, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair said “it’s important to acknowledge the complexities and jurisdictional challenges involved in what is often a borderless crime.” However, committee members questioned Lametti, Blair and RCMP commissioner Brenda Lucki on whether or not enough action is being taken to hold companies that may be based elsewhere to account. “Perpetrators and victims can be located anywhere in the world, and images of child sexual abuse and exploitation can be shared on platforms that may be headquartered in one country but legally registered in another with servers in yet a third and different country,” Blair said. “This affects the authority and challenges the ability of Canadian law enforcement agencies to investigate and the application of Canadian laws.” Lametti said Canada has been working with other countries to facilitate the exchange of information between police forces and its part of multilateral cybercrime conventions and has bilateral agreements with countries such as the United States. Committee members also asked several times whether or not any official investigation is taking place into MindGeek during the hearing, which is not the first to be held on the topic following a column in the New York Times questioning illegal content on the site and how it’s being dealt with. Lucki said “the call for criminal investigation is under review” and that if information is found that points to a need for an investigation, then that would absolutely take place. Though the format and form of any potential regulator wouldn’t be decided until later, Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault said last month some elements could include audit powers over how platforms are moderating their content, a 24-hour takedown rule for “illegal content”, an appeal mechanism for people or groups who believe their content was taken down unfairly, and fines for non-compliance -Reporting by Hannah Daley at hdaley@thewirereport.ca and editing by Michael Lee-Murphy at mleemurphy@thewirereport.ca

International cooperation needed in dealing with online exploitation: Lametti

News | April 12, 2021

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International cooperation needed in dealing with online exploitation: Lametti

News | April 12, 2021

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