Government called upon to keep Canadians safe online

Friends of Canadian Media launches coalition to urge action on Online Harms

TORONTO, June 5, 2026 /CNW/ - In conjunction with partners from across Canadian civil society, the non-partisan citizens' movement Friends of Canadian Media launched a nationwide campaign today, calling on the federal government to tackle online harms through legislation that holds tech giants accountable for the content on their platforms.

"Every time a Canadian logs onto a major tech platform, they are taking a risk. A risk that they will be targeted by hate and harassment, misled by cynical disinformation, or, in the case of our children, that they will be exposed to harmful content or people, in spaces that are not designed for their safety, " says Friends of Canadian Media's Executive Director, Raj Shoan.  "We should not be asking our fellow citizens, particularly the most vulnerable among us, to navigate these risks alone. We must enact common-sense laws that hold these platforms accountable for the environments they create."

This campaign brings together the following Canadian organizations representing thousands of stakeholders across the child advocacy and media sectors:

• The Canadian Association of Journalists
• Unplugged Canada
• Chinese Canadian National Council for Social Justice (CCNC-SJ)
• News Media Canada
• Alliance Radios
• Unifor

In an open letter addressed to Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture Marc Miller and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation Evan Solomon, the coalition partners call on the Government to:

• Pass online harms legislation this year, reflecting the urgency of the issue;

• Ensure the legislation includes strong, enforceable platform accountability measures, particularly to address harmful content and design, misinformation, and the specific risks and harms to children; and 

• Meet with coalition members in the near term and be responsive to impacted community members, such as pediatricians, teachers, police, parents, and families, to inform the development of this legislation and ensure it reflects the experiences and expertise of those working directly in affected communities.

"This broad-based coalition is indicative of a growing consensus in Canada that online harms are no longer a narrow technology issue," adds Shoan. "They are a public safety, public health, and democratic integrity issue that affects all Canadians."

To read the letter and learn more about the campaign, visit friends.ca/safe-online

Friends of Canadian Media is a non-partisan citizens' movement that stands up for Canadian voices in Canadian media – from public broadcasting to news, entertainment, culture, and online civil discourse, we work to protect and defend Canada's rich cultural sovereignty and the healthy democracy it sustains. We are a not-for-profit organization that receives no government funding or donations from political parties or CRTC-regulated entities. 

SOURCE Friends of Canadian Media

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