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GoFundMe called to Commons committee

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 03 Feb, 2022 03:28 PM

OTTAWA - A parliamentary committee has called on GoFundMe representatives to testify about how it ensures that money raised on its platform isn’t used to promote hate, such as antisemitism and white supremacy.

New Democrat MP Alistair MacGregor won the unanimous approval today of the House of Commons public safety committee to invite representatives from the crowdfunding website to answer questions about its security measures to ensure its funds are not used to promote extremism.

GoFundMe has been used to raise more than $10 million to support the anti-vaccine mandate protesters that have brought downtown Ottawa to a standstill for close to a week.

GoFundMe said Wednesday it was pausing and reviewing the fundraising campaign to ensure it complies with its terms of service, which stipulate money raised can't be used to support hate, violence, harassment and bullying, among other anti-social behaviours.

MacGregor says he brought the motion forward because he was concerned by a statement by Ottawa police the previous day that said a "significant element" from the United States had been involved in funding the Canadian protest.

MacGregor says Canadian MPs need to subject GoFundMe to a greater examination about the anonymous nature of its donors, especially if they are in foreign countries.

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