Canadian Cyber Freedom

S-210: Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act

Coverage

• What’s wrong with Bill S-210? An OpenMedia FAQ
• The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 190: Debating Bill S-210 - Senator Julie Miville-Dechêne Defends Her Internet Age Verification Bill Online Age Verification is Crucial and Bill S-210 Gets It Wrong
• Site Blocking and Age Verification for Twitter, Instagram, Snap and Twitch?: Age Verification Lobby Confirms it Wants Bill S-210 to Cover All Social Media Sites
• Your papers, please! Canadian Bill S-210 proposes age verification law for internet users.
• Bill S-210 Threatens Canadians’ Access to the Internet
• A major problem with Bill S-210 is in a fundamental definition from the Criminal Code

This Bill raises the following issues:

ID & Age Verification

The problems related to mandated online ID or age verification are numerous. They range from surveillance concerns, to censorship and gate-keeping. The broad enforcement of this kind of validation through laws necessitates a form of site-blocking mechanism. By relying on site-blocking for enforcement, much of the free and open web will be compromised and essential personal protections such as the ability to withold one’s identity may be at risk.

Whilst the policy aim is well-intentioned, the result will be dangerous. The requirement to age-gate will trump the balancing of rights. It risks a disproportionate interference with children’s and adult’s right to access information, and their freedom of expression rights.

EFF: UK Online Safety Bill Will Mandate Dangerous Age Verification for Much of the Web

The Fundamental Problems with Social Media Age-Verification Legislation

Protecting Children Online Does Not Require ID Checks for Everyone

The sledgehammer approach of age verification tools won’t make the internet safer

A security expert explains the problem with Age Verification

High-Risk Data

Hackers Leak Entire Donor History of Every Campaign on This Christian Crowdfunding Site

How the personal data of 815 million Indians got breached | Explained

Vaccine passport app leaks users’ personal data

Alberta Health says privacy breach possible on province’s vaccine passport website

Third-Party Validation

When one walks into a liquor store, they are required to show valid photo-id to verify their age with the employee. In this case, no other entity is necessarily aware of the specific transaction or recording it. This is not the case in an online context.

5 biggest risks of using third-party services providers

ID.me accused of exaggerating info to push for Digital ID

Scope Creep

UK re-introduces proposals for ID checks on adult websites, could usher in requiring ID for social platforms

Online age verification and children’s rights

Coverage

• Minor Matters in Cyberspace: Examining Internet Age-Verification Regulations
• Social Media Age Verification a Government Plot to Violate Your Privacy?

Censorship