Trudeau's 'Orwellian online harms bill': Canada PM backs imprisoning people for LIFE over speech crimes in social media 'safety' crackdown

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's new internet law would allow judges to give life sentences to those who commit the worst speech crimes on social media. 

The Online Harms Act, designed to make social media platforms safer, is being slammed as 'Orwellian' and an 'overreach' by voters.

The Handmaid's Tale author Margaret Atwood said the bill was 'Lettres de Cachet all over again,' referring to royal diktat for imprisoning citizens made by former Kings of France. 

'The possibilities for revenge false accusations + thoughtcrime stuff are sooo inviting!' Atwood warned on X, formerly Twitter. 'Trudeau's Orwellian online harms bill.'

The proposed law, introduced last month by the Liberal government, gives judges the power to imprison adults for life if they advocate for genocide online, up from the previous maximum penalty of five years in prison. 

  The Online Harms Act, designed to make social media platforms safer, is being slammed as 'Orwellian' and an 'overreach' by voters

The proposed law, backed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau,  introduced last month by the Liberal government, gives judges the power to imprison adults for life if they advocate for genocide online, up from the previous maximum penalty of five years in prison

The bill also increases the maximum term in prison from two years to five years for the willful promotion of hatred online. 

It also allows a provincial judge to impose house arrest and a fine if there were reasonable grounds to believe a defendant 'will commit' an offense.

Conservative writer Stephen Moore called the law the most shocking of all the totalitarian, illiberal and anti-Enlightenment pieces of legislation that have been introduced in the Western world in decades.'

Justice Minister Arif Virani, who introduced the bill, said, as a father, he was 'terrified of the dangers that lurk on the internet for our children.'

He argued that laws exist regulating the safety of toys his kids play with, but not the 'screen that is in our children's faces.'

The Handmaid's Tale author Margaret Atwood said the bill was 'Lettres de Cachet all over again' referring to royal dictats for imprisoning citizens made by former Kings of France

Half of Canadian respondents to a recent survey said they are wary of the Canadian government’s ability to protect free speech

However, less than half of Canadians believe the plans will make social media sites safer, according to a new survey.

Half of respondents to a Leger survey said they are wary of the government’s ability to protect free speech.

Yet a majority said they supported the proposals to introduce stiffer sentences for hate speech crimes. 

Nearly 70 percent of Canadians said they backed the country's plan to make online platforms safer, according to the National Post. But, only 41 percent said they believe the proposed legislation will meet that goal.  

The law would require social media companies to create safety plans to mitigate exposure to harmful content and give platforms 24 hours to remove sexual content, like intimate images shared without consent and child sex abuse images, once it is flagged.

It would also allow a new digital safety regulator to levy millions of dollars worth of fines against platforms that don’t comply with the rules.