Rethinking Online Harms in the AI Era: OpenMedia’s First Community Chat

Longtime supporters and next-gen advocates across Canada came together in our first Media Riff-Raff to explore AI-era online harms.

On February 25, 2026, OpenMedia hosted its first live community conversation series, Media Riff-Raff, where we riff on ideas, question assumptions, and reason radically about ways of making our digital lives better.

Focusing on the topic, Harmful by Design? AI, Big Tech, and the Limits of “Free Rein,” Executive Director of OpenMedia, Matt Hatfield, joined us to kickstart the session by unpacking fundamental issues raised by recent incidents like the Grok AI sexualized deepfake scandal. How are decades-old privacy laws failing us in an era of AI harms? Why is Canada struggling to respond to new technology, as online harms and AI regulations both remain stalled?

Later, attendees with a range of professional backgrounds from long-time supporters with a technical background to next-gen advocates in environment activism, joined Matt and our youth facilitator, Rana Sarhan (JD law candidate in the University of Ottawa), in the small-group setting to share their thoughts, experiences and core principles that are important to them, as we question our assumptions about harm, safety, and responsibility online; what meaningful online protection actually look like to them, and brainstorm possible next steps or solutions Canada. The turnout was fantastic, with thoughtful, nuanced conversations about Big Tech accountability, transparency, and responsibility.

Expert riffing

In Matt’s sharing, he pointed out the core challenge in tackling online harms is finding ways to make the Internet better without sacrificing our rights. He emphasized that digital policy is a complex puzzle, in which we each hold a different part. Like touching different parts of an elephant while blindfolded, many things we see differently are true but radically different parts of the picture, and everyone’s lived experience online matters in shaping smarter solutions.

He reflected on how the government’s early attempts at online harms legislation were overly punitive and risked censorship and mass surveillance, but improved after public consultation, showing that community pressure works. Looking ahead, he highlighted two major uncertainties, i.e. whether Canada will:

Pursue age verification or social media bans for youth in ways that protect privacy; and
Meaningfully regulate AI or default to weak, industry-friendly approaches.

Throughout, he stressed that protecting people online must go hand-in-hand with protecting privacy, free expression, and democratic rights.

Things we questioned and answered

Participants were most interested in AI governance and accountability, Canada’s digital infrastructure independence, and the role of politics in shaping tech policy.

AI Governance, Guardrails & Accountability

“How should we address the lack of transparency in AI guardrails, especially when governments and military contractors face different rules?”

“How do we address flaws in AI training data, especially when AI systems are increasingly trained on AI-generated content?”

The biggest questions centred on AI transparency, biased training data, labour exploitation, and the risks of weak safeguards, especially when governments and powerful contractors may not face the same rules as everyone else.

We were clear: Canada’s privacy and platform laws are outdated and not equipped for AI-era harms like deepfakes and large-scale data abuse. Voluntary industry codes aren’t enough. We need enforceable rules, real transparency about how AI systems are trained, and guardrails that protect rights, not erode them.

Public Digital Infrastructure & Tech Independence

“How can we disentangle ourselves from large institutional or corporate tech systems?”

“What is the route to building a Canadian public digital infrastructure?”

Many questions also concerned how Canada can reduce reliance on foreign tech giants and build resilient public digital infrastructure. Digital sovereignty doesn’t mean cutting ourselves off from the open Internet , but ensuring essential services and sensitive data can function securely here at home. That requires strategic public investment and smarter procurement, alongside practical steps individuals can take to gradually reclaim control of their digital lives.

Politics, Regulation & Public Policy

“Can elected representatives be pushed to step up more on these digital and AI issues?”

Participants asked whether elected representatives can be pushed to do more — and the answer is yes. No political party consistently defends digital rights, which is why public engagement matters. MPs do respond to sustained, respectful pressure from constituents.

We encouraged our community members to plug into OpenMedia’s ongoing campaigns on privacy reform, AI regulation, and digital sovereignty to help shape laws that protect both online safety and fundamental freedoms.

Our open campaigns:

Privacy: Canada’s privacy laws are almost 30 years old! This basically gives tech giants a free pass while Canadians are left exposed. Our community is calling on MPs to step up and deliver strong, modern privacy protections.
AI regulation: AI is already changing jobs, privacy, and the environment — while foreign tech giants grab even more power over our data. We’re pushing for real, people-first AI rules that actually protect consumers, workers, and our digital future.
Digital Sovereignty: Our Digital Sovereignty Charter asks for stronger Canadian laws and systems that truly protect Canadians and our voices. We need to make sure our leaders know that Canadian digital interests need to be a top priority.

Small group riffing

We kicked off our first small group riffing session by diving straight into what really matters to our community. People shared what worries them most: the influence of Big Tech on our daily lives, the fast pace of AI development, and the gaps in government action. Concerns ranged from AI’s impact on jobs and student futures, to privacy threats, non-consensual imagery like the Grok incident, and even the environmental and labour impacts of AI data centres.

Many noted Canada's reliance on US-based tech weakens our digital sovereignty, while others raised broader questions about safety, fairness, and whose interests AI really serves. It was clear that our community is thinking deeply about both the risks and the responsibilities that come with our digital lives.

When we talked about what meaningful online protection actually looks like, a few themes came through loud and clear. People want stronger accountability for corporations, better protections for youth, and ways to prevent misinformation while educating parents and communities. There were also important conversations about transparency—from data centres and AI training practices to digital ID systems, and how governments often fail to act in the public interest. Community members emphasized that we can’t just rely on rules being written for us; we need to take action ourselves, whether through advocacy, boycotts (when necessary), or building alternatives that give people more control over their own data and digital lives.

Finally, we explored what Canada could do next, and the ideas were inspiring. Participants suggested federal laws that hold companies accountable for their products and environmental impacts, just as we do in other industries. Transparency around energy use, emissions, and AI practices was a big priority, as was better regulation of the internet, stronger public digital infrastructure, and steps to build resilience, autonomy, and sovereignty. What came through most strongly was that meaningful change will require all of these pieces working together: good laws, responsible companies, and an engaged, informed public.

Media Riff-Raff is OpenMedia’s newly launched live conversation series where we riff on ideas, question assumptions, and reason radically about ways of making our digital lives better. We want to create a space for curious thinkers to share unfinished thoughts, curiosity, internal debates we all have, and make collective sense as best we can.

This initiative is 100% supported by community members like you, and your contributions help us keep these conversations alive. Chip in today!