Hootsuite seeks ICE contract as Ottawa weighs social media age limits

Hootsuite has pursued social-media monitoring work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including a US$95,000 pilot, and federal officials in Ottawa have drafted plans to ban social media for children under 14 as part of an online harms bill.

This week's Lately highlights two technology stories with public-policy implications. Vancouver-based Hootsuite has pursued work to provide social-media monitoring for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Federal officials in Ottawa have drafted plans to ban social media for children under 14 as part of a proposed online harms bill. Both items touch on how companies and governments shape online spaces. Key facts: - Hootsuite pursued social-media monitoring work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and landed a US$95,000 pilot project in September. - Hootsuite's CEO said the contract will stand so long as ICE abides by Hootsuite's terms of service, which prohibit use of its platform for law enforcement, surveillance and tracking. - More than five years ago Hootsuite withdrew from an ICE contract after employee backlash. - Federal officials have drafted a plan to ban social media for children under 14 in Canada; the measure would need cabinet approval and could be considered as early as next month. Summary: These developments highlight questions about private companies' roles in public-sector monitoring and potential new limits on young users' access to platforms. Hootsuite states the ICE pilot will continue if the agency follows its terms of service, and the proposed Canadian age restriction is part of an online harms bill that requires cabinet approval and possible consideration next month.