This is making a change. The effect of our NDP-6 is to maintain the current version of the act, which clearly states that the Canadian broadcasting system should ensure that licensees of broadcasting undertakings have responsibility for their programming. The current bill, by adding “and over which they have programming control”, risks creating a loophole in favour of social media. We therefore propose to delete this addition.
For more context, broadcasting companies that do not have direct control over programming—social media, for example—have significant control over the content that is suggested to users. On these platforms, the vast majority of content consumed by users is the result of algorithm-driven suggestions, with the vast minority—the rest—resulting from specific user choices. More and more platforms are also making editorial choices through policies against false, misleading or hateful content.
That is the intention. That is why we have put this amendment forward.