Online Harms
We combat Islamophobia online through policy changes, awareness campaigns, and support for hate crime victims.
WHAT'S
HAPPENING
ONLINE HARMS
The Quebec City Mosque Massacre.
The London Terror Attack.
The IMO Slaying.
All them had one thing in common: that the attacker was in part radicalized to hate the Muslim community online.
Online hate and harm in Canada are growing concerns that threaten the safety and inclusion of Muslim communities across the country. Despite Canada’s commitment to multiculturalism and diversity, Muslims from coast to coast continue to face discrimination, harassment, and violence both offline and online. The rise of digital platforms has amplified Islamophobic rhetoric, enabling the spread of misinformation, stereotypes, and calls for violence with alarming speed and reach.
Combatting Islamophobia and online hate requires a multi-faceted approach, including legislative reforms, educational initiatives, and engaging with tech companies to create safer online spaces. Public awareness campaigns and community-based interventions are crucial to fostering an inclusive society where all Canadians, regardless of faith, feel respected and protected.
Our comprehensive approach includes lobbying for policy changes, providing resources to counter misinformation, and supporting victims of hate crimes and Islamophobia, all aimed at fostering a safer and more inclusive environment for Canadian Muslims.
If we fail to act against online hate, the consequences could be severe and far-reaching. Hate speech and misinformation will continue to spread unchecked, further normalizing discrimination, intolerance, and violence against minorities. This could lead to an increase in hate crimes, social polarization, and radicalization, putting individuals and communities at greater risk of harm.
The lack of action may also erode trust in institutions and the government’s ability to protect marginalized groups, fostering a sense of fear and exclusion among affected populations. Additionally, the unchecked proliferation of online hate can damage Canada’s reputation as an inclusive and diverse society, hindering social cohesion and undermining efforts to build a more just and equitable future. Inaction will not only allow hate and Islamophobia to persist but also embolden extremists and deepen societal divisions, making it increasingly difficult to counter its harmful effects in the future.
NCCM HAS SUCCESSFULLY PUSHED FOR:
- Online harms legislation to become a bipartisan commitment.
- Stopping draft online harms legislation when it was poorly drafted and could have harmed civil liberties.
- Taking down Islamophobic criminal content from online platforms.
Picture taken at the Online Harms Summit hosted by NCCM and OpenMedia
IMPACT STATS
71%
Of young Canadians reported seeing online hate content in the previous 12 months (2022).
600%
Rise in the amount of intolerant and hate speech in social media postings between November 2015 and November 2016. The Cision study focused on the usage of hashtags like #banmuslims and #siegheil.
62%
Of Quebecers stated that they had seen hateful or racist speech on the internet/social media in relation to Muslims.
A SNAPSHOT - OUR WORK
2017 - Quebec City Mosque shooting and online harms
On the evening of July 29, 2017, six Canadian Muslims were murdered and 19
injured in the midst of their prayers at the Centre Culturel Islamique de Québec
in Ste. Foy, Quebec by Alexandre Bissonnette.
Ibrahima Barry. Azzedine Soufiane. Aboubaker Thabti. Khaled Belkacemi.
Mamadou Tanou Barry. Abdelkarim Hassane. In an instance of hate and
violence, their earthly presence was removed from us in what remains the worst
attack on a house of worship on Canadian soil.
In R. c. Bissonnette, 2019 QCCS 354, Justice François Huot indicated at paragraphs
10-12 of the decision that Bissonnette drew upon online sources before
committing this horrific attack:
“[ 10 ] During this same period, he regularly consulted various Internet sites relating, in particular, to firearms and perpetrators of terrorist acts. For example, on Jan. 27, he accessed #Muslimban’s Twitter account…
[ 11 ] The following day, he made various readings on Jaylen Fryberg, the author of the Marysville slaughter, Elliot Rodger, mass murderer of May 23, 2014 in Isla Vista, California, Dylann Roof, the murderer of nine African Americans during the shooting of the Charleston church, the San Bernardino attack and the Facebook page of the FÉMUL movement (Feminists in Motion at Laval University).
[ 12 ] On the morning of January 29, 2017, Bissonnette consulted other sites dealing with jihadist attacks… There is no clearer indication to us that online hate poses as existential threat to Canadians, and to Canadian security. An analysis of his computer records showed that Bissonnette, from December 27, 2016 to January 29, 2017, consulted various sources about Islam on the internet.”
While we do not propose that Bissonnette was solely motivated by online hate speech or online racist manifestos, it is clear that Bissonnette consulted these online sources before committing his attack. That is simply part of the evidence.
2019 - NCCM Testifies on the Need for Balanced Online Harms Legislation
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2020 - NCCM Online Harms Lobby Day
Muslim leaders came from coast to coast to Ottawa to advocate for balanced online harms legislation, engaging in positive dialogue with members of all political parties.
2021 - NCCM Online Hackathon to End Hate
#HACKHATECANADA is a coding and data analytics competition where teams of developers were challenged to provide innovative tech-based solutions to stop the spread of online hate. The competition is a two-day event where participants in groups of 5 will have 48 hours to develop their solutions on October 15th and 16th. All participating groups were be asked to present their submission for the preliminary judging round held on October 17th.
2021 - Federal Election and Online Harms Advocacy
Multiple political parties made commitments to challenge online harms in their electoral platforms. NCCM urged all parties to commit to balanced online harms legislation in their party platforms.
2021 - NCCM Pushes Back on Draft Online Harms Legislation Successfully
On July 29th, 2021, the Government of Canada published a legislative and regulatory proposal to confront harmful content online for consultation on its website. We raised a number of overarching concerns including concerns related to the freedom of expression, privacy rights, the impact of the proposal on certain marginalized groups, and compliance with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms more generally.
We were pleased to see the government noting our concerns and going back to the drawing board.
2023 - NCCM Pushes for Amendments to C-63
While Bill C-63 was not a perfect Bill, we stood beside Minister Virani at the tabling of the legislation. While C-63 has died on the order papers, we remain committed to engaging with Liberals and Conservatives on a robust but balanced online harms regulatory regime.
ONLINE SAFETY STILL AT RISK
Help us defend your civil liberties and challenge hate online.
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