B.C. taking steps to protect people from having intimate images shared online without consent
The province has passed legislation to make it easier for victims to get sexual images of themselves posted online without their consent -- taken down, as experts question whether it goes far enough to address the next frontier -- of artificial intelligence.
David Fraser is one of Canada's leading internet and privacy lawyers. He says most victims just want the images in question taken down. The B.C. law he says, is a good step, but it's unclear if the definition of an image will include what some call, deep fakes.
"It's not just the old fashioned Photoshop. Its videos can be completely recreated changing somebody's face, changing body characteristics, and things like that. And the ultimate impact can be just as harmful on the victims of that sort of thing," Fraser told CTV.
To protect victims -- the B.C. government has passed legislation that gives them a faster and easier way to get sexual images posted online -- taken down quickly. This fall, victims will have access to a website to make that request through the civil resolution tribunal.
Ryan Black, a partner with the firm DLA Piper (Canada) said he thought the intent of the law was clear and that may help when dealing with cases involving AI.
"I think courts are going to be not very friendly towards people who using artificial intelligence, manipulate images to make them appear explicit.," Black explained. "We're probably going to get to the same place, but I think that it should have been part of this act very clearly."
The attorney general sent a letter to big media companies about the legislation and how court orders will demand they take the images down. Niki Sharma told reporters she had already met with Google and hoped to meet with other tech giants as well.
"The letter's very clear and they're all on notice that posting intimate images without consent is sexualized violence and won't be tolerated," added Sharma.
Experts say most large companies don't want negative press, so they will remove them. But those who make a business of sharing these kinds of images may not.
"A Canadian court order of this type simply doesn't have any force for effect outside of Canada," explained Fraser.
Asked about jurisdictional issues, Sharma insisted her team felt a court order or administrative penalties administered for non-compliance were enforceable.
Sharing intimate images of someone without their consent is a crime in Canada. Going through that court process can be traumatizing and cumbersome, which is why many provinces are coming up with their own rules.
"I think that a lot of this stuff happens at the heat of the moment and kind of maybe sometimes comes from abusive relationships," added Black. The lawyer added he felt B.C.'s new law was a good way to educate people about the issue and hopefully deter them.
Anti-violence groups point out there's often a lot of shame and victim-blaming for what increasingly is being recognized for what it is -- not so-called "revenge porn" -- but a harmful crime.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP want Liberals to scrap proposed election date change that could secure pensions for many MPs
The federal New Democrats want to amend the Liberal government's electoral reform legislation to scrap the proposal to push back the vote by a week and consequently secure pensions for dozens of MPs, CTV News has learned.
Supreme Court won't hear appeal in Montreal brainwashing experiments case
The Supreme Court of Canada will not review a Quebec ruling that bars people from suing the U.S. government in Canada over its role in notorious brainwashing experiments at a Montreal psychiatric hospital.
Drive one of these vehicles? You may pay 37 per cent more than average insurance costs due to thefts
As the number of auto theft incidents rises in Canada, so have insurance premiums for drivers, even the ones whose vehicles aren't stolen.
'I'm not wealthy': Ontario senior shocked she owes $40,000 in capital gains after gifting land
An Ontario senior who wanted to help her daughter and grandson eventually own homes one day decided to give them two lots on her property as a gift—but she didn’t know it would eventually cost her tens of thousands of dollars.
National task force not lowering age for routine breast cancer screening to 40
A national task force that provides guidance for primary health-care providers is not lowering the recommended breast cancer screening age to 40, despite urging from several cancer specialists, surgeons and radiologists.
Police arrest 19-year-old suspect after Montreal triple homicide
Police have made an arrest following a deadly street fight that ended with three people killed in Montreal's Plateau-Mont-Royal borough last week.
These are the world's 20 best cities for foodies, according to Time Out
Some travellers pick a city break based on the destination’s cultural offerings. Others eye up cities with buzzy nightlife or opt for a destination hosting a festival or event. But for many vacationers, the most exciting part of any trip is the food.
Video shows driver in Toronto frantically getting out of car being pushed by truck
A CP24 camera caught the moment a driver frantically got out of her car as it was being dragged by a truck on Avenue Road Wednesday afternoon.
opinion What could stunt Trump and the Republicans from winning in November?
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, Washington political analyst Eric Ham explains how and why Republicans -- up and down the ballot -- are falling far behind Democrats in both fundraising and infrastructure.