Episode 247: My Senate Appearance on the Bill That Could Lead to Canada-Wide Blocking of X, Reddit and ChatGPT

Episode 247: My Senate Appearance on the Bill That Could Lead to Canada-Wide Blocking of X, Reddit and ChatGPT

Author: Michael Geist October 27, 2025 Duration: 35:32
Bill S-209, the legislative effort to establish age verification requirements for sites and services that are said to facilitate access to pornography, is back. The bill has some modest improvements from the earlier S-210, but the core concerns – overbroad scope that lumps in social media companies, Internet providers, and AI services with pornography sites, the privacy and equity implications of mandated age verification, and the use of nationwide website blocking – remain. Last week, I appeared before the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs where I identified many of the concerns with the bill and engaged in a detailed discussion with multiple senators. This week’s Law Bytes podcast goes inside the hearing room for my opening statement and the Q&A with Senators that followed.

Navigating the complex and ever-shifting landscape where technology meets the law requires a guide who understands both the code and the courtroom. Law Bytes, hosted by Michael Geist, offers exactly that. This podcast digs into the real-world implications of digital policy, moving beyond abstract theory to examine how laws and regulations are actively shaping our online lives. Each episode is built around conversations with the people on the front lines: scholars dissecting legal challenges, policymakers drafting the rules, and practitioners facing these issues daily. While the focus is firmly on providing a crucial Canadian perspective, the discussions rightly recognize the borderless nature of the internet, frequently exploring international developments and Canada's place within the global digital ecosystem. You'll hear nuanced analysis on topics like privacy, copyright, platform governance, and telecommunications, all framed within the broader context of societal impact and fundamental rights. The result is a thoughtful and accessible exploration of the forces governing our digital world, making sense of the headlines and anticipating what might come next. For anyone curious about the power structures behind their screens, this podcast serves as an essential and engaging resource.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Law Bytes
Podcast Episodes
Episode 264: Jon Penney on Chilling Effects in the Digital Age [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:53
“Chilling effects” is a term people hear all the time: in court rulings, in debates over content moderation, in dealing with online harms, or in news coverage of surveillance and legal reforms. The focus is typically on…
Episode 262: Zack Shapiro on the Claude AI Native Law Firm [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:57
What are the limits of using AI to help run a legal practice? There is much discussion about what an AI future might look like, but with the rapid development of AI tools, the future may be now. The hot AI service of the…