Guilbeault setting guidelines for diverse content online

In order to encourage more diverse content online, Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault has released a guiding document with recommendations on how to foster diversity in cultural content, information and news. Guilbeault put out the “Guiding Principles on Diversity of Content Online” in a release Wednesday, with a focus on four themes: “the creation, access and discoverability of diverse content online; the fair payment and economic viability of content creators; the promotion of diverse, credible sources of news and information as well as resilience against disinformation; and the transparency of the impacts of algorithmic treatments of online content.” “This exposure to diverse content should contribute to a healthier public discourse, greater social inclusion within society, bolster resilience to disinformation and misinformation, and increase our citizens’ ability to participate in democratic processes,” the introduction to the document says. Such topics as fair compensation for news producers and specific support for Canadian content could be dealt with otherwise through Bill C-10 and potential legislation requiring web giants like Facebook Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google to compensate news platforms for the content they share, but the purpose of the new guiding principles is to broaden diversity overall. “An international multi-stakeholder approach is essential to the success of this initiative. We can no longer ignore the challenges and opportunities that come with an increasingly digital world. We have to act now to ensure a healthy ecosystem online for all citizens. We are stronger when we work together as a global community,” Guilbeault said in the release Wednesday. Members of a multi-stakeholder working group will develop specific commitments over the coming months and work on building a larger international consensus between countries, the private sector, and civil society organizations, according to the release. That group includes the governments of Canada, Australia, Finland, France, and Germany, as well as private groups including Google and Netflix Inc. “We are always supportive of multi-stakeholder engagement on digital policy. We strongly support a sustainable and diverse ecosystem of content online, reflected in our pioneering remuneration models for digital creators like AdSense and the YouTube Partner Program, as well as providing Canadians with access to a diverse range of content and information through our products and services. We look forward to continuing our productive participation in this initiative, Jason Kee, government affairs and public policy counsel with Google Canada, said in the release. The release said the guiding principles will continuously evolve to keep up with the shifting online environment, “with a view to encouraging greater exposure to diverse online cultural content, information and news.” By December 2022, at the latest, the signatories have agreed to develop specific commitments “to show concrete actions they will take to implement the guiding principles,” the document says.

Guilbeault setting guidelines for diverse content online

Brief | June 30, 2021

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Guilbeault setting guidelines for diverse content online

Brief | June 30, 2021

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