May 13, 2014 - 4:16 PM
OTTAWA - The mother of a B.C. teen who took her own life after she was sexually exploited online says a proposed crackdown on cyberbullying goes too far.
Carol Todd, whose daughter Amanda died by suicide in 2012, says that portions of Bill C-13 that could trample privacy rights should be removed from the legislation.
But Glenford Canning, the father of another prominent cyberbullying victim, Rehtaeh Parsons, says the bill should be passed regardless of any concerns about private information.
Both parents were among a panel of victims and victims' families who appeared today at a Commons committee studying the legislation.
New Democrat MP Francoise Boivin sided with Todd on the issue, saying she's worried the entire law could be rendered useless if it faced a successful court challenge over privacy concerns.
Ottawa law professor Michael Geist has warned that C-13 — along with S-4, the Digital Privacy Act — would allow organizations to disclose subscriber or customer personal information without a court order.
The disclosures would also be kept secret from the people whose information is being shared.
Todd says that would amount to victims of abuse online being victimized twice.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2014