by Frank Bergman
A Canadian federal minister has drawn fierce backlash after an internal government memo revealed plans to monitor citizens’ social media posts and file lawsuits against those who share content deemed “misinformation.”
The strategy comes from Industry Minister Mélanie Joly’s department.
The plan was exposed in a 35-page internal memo titled “Misinformation and Disinformation Strategy,” which was obtained through an Access to Information request and first reported by Blacklock’s Reporter.
The memo outlines a government framework to “prevent, detect and respond to false or misleading information.”
Conservative MPs are now sounding the alarm, warning that the Liberal government appears to be moving toward policing online speech and deciding what Canadians are allowed to say.
“This strategy seeks to uphold the integrity of and public trust in government information,” the March 31 memo states.
The memo does not specify penalties.
However, it lays out a structure for identifying, tracking, and responding to online content the government considers false, misleading, or out of context.
Government Already Monitoring Social Media
According to Canada’s Industry Department, staff are already monitoring social media platforms and Canadian media for public comments.
The new strategy would expand that work.
The department wants to move from a “reactive stance to one that is focused on prevention and early detection.”