In what’s shaping up as a smackdown on freedom of speech, Canada’s controversial proposed bill – C-63 is ringing alarm bells for the likes of Elon Musk and Dr. Jordan Peterson. Narrowing in on so-called ‘hate speech,’ the bill upgrades penalties to $50,000 smackers for anything deemed hate-stirring, a move that has raised eyebrows worldwide.
Elon Musk, the mastermind behind Tesla and SpaceX, got wind of this proposed legislation via a social media user. His unabashed response? “This sounds insane if accurate!”, clearly stunned by the roughshod approach to free expression this Canadian bill represents.
Not only Musk, but also popular psychologist and podcast outcast Dr. Jordan Peterson, echoed Musk’s astonishment. Peterson compares this Orwellian-style bill to a plot from ‘1984.’ He’s beyond worried – he’s livid. Peterson passionately points out how this bill could wrongfully shackle Canadian citizens simply on the fear of a ‘might-be’ hate crime.
Peterson, a vociferous critic of C-63, has gone further than tweets. In an almost two-hour dialogue with TRIGGERnometry host Konstantin Kisin and respected Canadian lawyer Bruce Pardy, he underlined exactly why this bill represents danger. “It is the most totalitarian Western bill I’ve ever seen,” Peterson sagely warned.
The bill, if passed, sets up a new ‘Digital Safety Commission’ which will pair off with social media firms. These firms will then be coerced into flagging content deemed ‘harmful’ and assigning a ‘resource person’ to hear claims against such content. Clear as mud, right? The commission could even require social media giants to whip up ‘digital safety plans’, adding to the muddle.
And if for some reason, the companies don’t step in line? They’re faced with whopping fines: 8% of global revenue or a hard, $25 million slap, whichever hurts more.
The upshot? Big Tech giants are caught in a vice, needing clarity and transparency around ‘hate speech’, while also struggling to uphold the principles of free speech. And the conservative voices find themselves on the chopping block, scrambling to defend their space in the digital universe.
Our freedom of speech is perilously close to being muzzled. Conservatives are being hit hard. We need your voices now, more than ever, to ensure Big Tech giants are held answerable so that the internet remains a fair platform for all voices. If you find yourself censored, don’t stay silent. Reach out, speak out, and let’s pull Big Tech into account together.
