Canadian MP wants to clean up the internet

Conservative MP Joy Smith introduces the Clean Internet Act.

The Clean Internet Act (Bill C-427) is a newly submitted private member bill in the Parliament of Canada by Conservative MP Joy Smith, that among many things will mandate that ISPs obtain a license in order to offer internet services as well as require them to DENY internet service to anyone who violates any of the Act’s stipulations.

“In an age when the Internet is increasingly being used for criminal and exploitive purposes, it is the responsibility of parents and all Canadians to protect our vulnerable citizens”, says MP Smith. “This Clean Internet Act is one more step towards ending violence and exploitation of women and children in Canada and abroad.”

The bill describes itself as “An Act to prevent the use of the Internet to distribute child pornography, material that advocates, promotes or incites racial hatred, and material that portrays or promotes violence against women.”

ISPs will be required to take “all reasonable steps” to minimize the use of the Internet for the purposes of violence and racial hatred toward women and child pornography material from being accessed, and to withhold internet service from persons who have been convicted by an offence under this Act within the previous seven years.

It sounds sort of reasonable on its surface, I mean what’s not to like about a bill that punishes pedophiles and the cowards out there who would abuse women? But, as always the devil is in the details.

First of all, it states that “No person may offer the services of or operate as an Internet service provider unless the person has been granted a licence to operate as an Internet service provider.” The license is then subject to the terms that the ISP must terminate internet service immediately to those suspected of violating the act, and that that suspension of service is to last 7 years! ISPs would always almost certainly error on the side of caution and terminate service even though it may not be justified. To terminate citizens access to the internet, especially in today’s digital age is criminal in and of itself.

The Minister of Industry may also order an ISP to use all means that are reasonably available to prevent access by its subscribers to any material on the Internet that the Minister, after reasonable inquiry, determines to be in violation of the Act.

Fortunately, as Canadian law professor Michael Geist points out, “Given that this is a private member’s bill, it is very unlikely to become law.”

For Canada’s sake, I hope so.

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