Lindsay Pinto, Open Media
Imagine a world in which the government monitors your every move online. You might not want to be Facebook friends with your university roommate, who has made his very radical leanings public. And you may find yourself being much more careful about tweeting anything negative about the current regime. According to British Columbia-based grassroots group,
Open Media, those scary scenarios could become a reality if Bill C-30 is passed.
The bill, known as the Protecting Children from Internet Predators Act, would give anyone authorized under the Criminal Code or the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act the power to intercept communications transmitted over the Internet. Public Safety Minister Vic Toews introduced the bill in February 2012. As of press time, the bill has still not been passed. The House of Commons committee is set to review the proposed legislation in the fall, after it returns from summer recess.
Open Media launched a campaign to oppose the concept of warrantless interception of online communication after the re-election of the Conservative government in May 2011. The Conservative campaign platform included proposed “lawful access” legislation, which would make it easier for law enforcement authorities to monitor Canadian citizens’ communications. Open Media’s campaign includes a petition, a documentary on the need for privacy on the Internet, and public service announcements in opposition to the bill aired on CBC. This May, the group began showing citizen-made viral videos on its site about the true cost of Bill C-30.
