Citing a rise in hate speech and harassment, the City of Victoria has shut down public comments on its social-media platforms.
Since Aug. 2, the public has not been able to weigh in on posts from the city on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube or LinkedIn.
The city shut off the commenting option after a marked rise in what spokeswoman Colleen Mycroft called “disrespectful content and misinformation, including abusive and hateful comments.”
“It’s about hate speech and harassment and staff being subject to hours and hours of hiding comments that are racist.”
Mycroft notes that on Feb. 19, Family Day, city staff spent more than six hours dealing with racist and disrespectful comments on a single Facebook post that suggested people enjoy family day with friends and family.
In a statement provided to the media, the city added it is committed to providing safe and family-friendly spaces for communication.
“We thank the people who have chosen to engage with us in a respectful way. Unfortunately, many have not and that means our followers, and staff who monitor the city’s social media accounts, have been exposed to online harassment, abuse and hateful content,” the city said. “Additionally, social media comments frequently contribute to the spread of misinformation and division in our community.
“The decision to turn off comments on the city’s social media posts was made to support respectful communication, protect staff and the public, and work against misinformation.”
Mycroft said anyone can still send the city direct messages or tag it on social media, while the city also publishes email addresses and phone numbers for residents to directly contact city departments and members of council.
This is not the first time Victoria has seen this kind of social media action.
In 2018, then Victoria mayor Lisa Helps disabled her personal Facebook account, calling it a toxic echo chamber. Two years later, she deleted her Twitter account in response to negative comments about homelessness in the city.
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante is currently facing criticism for restricting the comments on her X and Instagram accounts.
The leader of the city’s official opposition claims the move limits Montrealers’ freedom of expression.
Federal MPs of all political stripes have also restricted comments on their X accounts, including Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner, Liberal MP Adam van Koeverden and NDP MP Laurel Collins.
Last year, the Governor General’s office announced that it was turning off comments on all of its social-media accounts due to “an increase in abusive, misogynistic and racist engagement on social media and online platforms, including a greater number of violent threats.”
— With a file from Canadian Press
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