Urgent Request Regarding Saskatchewan Politicians’ Use of US-Owned Social Media Platforms
Dear April ChiefCalf,
I am writing as a concerned constituent regarding the use of US-owned social media platforms, specifically X, BlueSky, and YouTube, by elected officials in Saskatchewan for public and official communication.
Recent reports indicate that X has been using artificial intelligence to generate child sexual abuse material and other forms of illegal pornography, and that BlueSky has been selling user data to US-based data brokers. The continued use of these platforms raises serious concerns about citizen privacy, data sovereignty, and the ethical and operational risks associated with government communications hosted on foreign platforms.
I have submitted letters regarding these concerns to the Saskatchewan Information and Privacy Commissioner, the Conflict of Interest Commissioner, and the Auditor General, as well as to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, requesting that these offices review the use of US-owned platforms by elected officials and provide guidance on safer alternatives.
I would like to note that New Brunswick has already taken the step of discontinuing the use of X by its elected officials, demonstrating that it is possible to maintain official communications while avoiding US-owned platforms.
I respectfully urge you to:
Review your own social media use and consider discontinuing the use of X, BlueSky, and YouTube for official communication.
Bring this issue forward in the Saskatchewan Legislature to encourage all MLAs to follow suit.
Explore the creation of Saskatchewan-based Mastodon, Lemmy, and PeerTube servers to provide secure, Canadian-hosted platforms for government communications.
Canadian-hosted, open-source platforms would protect constituent privacy, maintain secure communications, and demonstrate leadership in digital sovereignty and ethical governance.
I would greatly appreciate your response outlining any plans to address this issue and how your office intends to protect constituent privacy while ensuring responsible and secure communication practices for all MLAs.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Reann Legge
I use the pronouns she/her