Lawyer warns against overuse of criminal law for online hate speech as Canada's Online Harms Act increases punishment for hate-related offenses.

A British Columbia Civil Liberties Association lawyer reminds the public that online behavior involves real people, as police are developing expertise in identifying individuals posting hateful content on social media. While charges for offensive social media activity are rare, they can lead to charges for individuals' online actions. As the legal landscape around online hate crimes evolves in Canada, the federal government's Online Harms Act aims to increase punishment for hate-related offenses and provide judges with power to restrict movements based on evidence of potential hate crimes. The lawyer cautions against using criminal law for socially problematic speech without actual harm caused.

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