New report offers expert insights from Governor General’s Symposium on Digital Respect

OTTAWA, Ontario—Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, is releasing the report Fostering Respect in a Digital World on Digital Citizen Day to share key takeaways from the Governor General’s Symposium: Building a Safe and Respectful Digital World.

The report compiles findings from the full-day event, which was held to share cross-sectoral insights and work towards collaborative solutions to champion greater digital respect. Over 150 academics, journalists, government officials, gender equality advocates, mental health practitioners, tech industry representatives and youth leaders from across the country, many of whom have been personally impacted by online abuse, took part in the discussions.

Throughout the report, expert insights and the testimonies of Symposium participants demonstrate the pervasive and far-reaching impacts of online abuse. It also highlights the urgent need for more solutions-focused discussions.

Being a responsible digital citizen is about navigating online spaces respectfully, safely and with compassion. On Digital Citizen Day, which focuses on the positive actions anyone can take to be a responsible digital citizen, the report highlights the devastating impacts of online abuse on civic engagement.

As one participant said, “As a young Indigenous woman with brown skin, the fear of compromising my online safety has played a huge factor in not wanting to put my name forward for certain opportunities. Seeing the first Indigenous governor general, Her Excellency Mary Simon, share similar experiences of cyber bullying, while standing in her power, gave me the confidence to take up space.”

Experts voiced their concerns for people who are disproportionately affected by online abuse, such as women, racialized individuals, members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community and, in particular, young people, and how it can lead to loss of income and opportunity.

Read the report online

Quote

“Digital Citizen Day and Media Literacy Week are opportunities to reflect on how we can all play a role to create safer digital spaces. Online abuse can diminish trust in our institutions and have a silencing affect, potentially leading to less diversity in public life. In the coming months, I will continue to bring people from across the country together, to share resources and to encourage others to do the same. By engaging in kind and constructive dialogue, we will create a digital world where all of our voices can be heard.”

The Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada

Quick facts

  • In February 2023, the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General disabled all comments on its social media platforms due to an increase in abusive, misogynistic and racist engagement, including a greater number of violent threats.
  • In March 2023, on International Women’s Day, the Governor General hosted a round-table discussion with women ambassadors, public service leaders and journalists that aimed to shine a light on the rise of toxic online discourse.
  • In April 2024, The Governor General’s Symposium: Building a Safe and Respectful Digital World convened a multi-disciplinary group of experts to support their efforts to make the digital world safer.
  • In June 2024, the Governor General participated in a panel discussion at St. Thomas University in New Brunswick on the impacts of online harassment and emerging solutions to build a safe and respectful digital world.
  • The Governor General also plans to take part in a conversation on digital respect on October 28, 2024, at MacEwan University, in Edmonton, Alberta.

Related links

Media information:
Rideau Hall Press Office
media@gg.ca

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