Your essay could change the way we think about freedom in Canada
The Brandon Langhjelm Essay Contest celebrates academic excellence and fuels the ambitions of the next generation of scholars and leaders in Canada.
We want to hear your thoughts on Canada's most controversial and difficult questions about individual rights and freedoms.
This year's options:
Option One: Social media restrictions for youth
Question #1: Social media restrictions for youth
Do governments have the right to restrict access to social media for minors? Do social media bans violate the rights or freedoms of minors, such as their freedom of expression, access to information, or privacy? Do social media bans transfer excessive power to the state by undermining the right and responsibility of parents to protect and direct their children?
Option Two: Safety and privacy in AI chatbots
Question #2:
Is an AI chat different from a private journal or diary? To what extent, if any, should governments be permitted to access or regulate private interactions with AI chats in order to prevent harm? What impact would government interference with AI platforms have on Canadians privacy, freedom of expression, and autonomy? How should society balance public safety with privacy and freedom in the age of AI?