Weekly News Oct. 1, 2018

Weekly News (October 1, 2018)

Compiled by Fizza Kulvi and Ian Steinberg with Sara Bannerman

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

 

Communications Governance Observatory Monthly Podcast Series

Podcast #1 with host and producer Sumana Naidu now available: Network Neutrality with Dwayne Winseck(12 min)

Canadian News (Sept. 24-30, 2018)

• [PRIVACY] Sidewalk Labs launches research grants to study human behaviour (Toronto Star)

·         [ACCESS TO INFORMATION] Canada slips to 55th place in global freedom-of-information law rankings (CTV News/CP)

• [PRIVACY] Canada’s privacy commissioner says there’s an urgent need for stronger laws to protect personal information (The Toronto Star)
• [PRIVACY] How to hack-proof your employees (The Globe and Mail)
• [COMPETITION LAW] Ticketmaster faces expanded probe by Competition Bureau (The Toronto Star)
• [HIGH TECH STRATEGY]  As Silicon Valley eyes Toronto, some worry tech boom could hurt Canada (The Toronto Star)
• [CBC] CBC/Radio-Canada reaffirms commitment to diversity and inclusion (CBC)
• [INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY]  Shopify founder warns about U.S. tech giants invading the Canadian market(Ottawa Citizen)
• [PRIVACY] B.C. privacy officials look into data breach involving bankrupt computer retailer (The Globe and Mail)
• [COMMUNICATIONS SECURITY] U.S. intelligence officials question Canada’s ability to test China’s Huawei for security breaches (The Globe and Mail)
• [ADVERTISING REGULATION] Forget The Kardashians; Meet The New Breed Of Influencers Tapping Social Media’s ‘Gold Rush’ (Financial Post)
• [BROADBAND POLICY] Internet groups disappointed in lowered CRTC speed minimums for broadband fund(CTV/CP)

·         [ALGORITHMIC REGULATION] Ottawa’s use of AI for immigration a ‘high-risk laboratory’ (The Globe and Mail)

 

International News (Sept. 24-30, 2018)

• [CYBER SECURITY] The Crisis of Election Security (New York Times Magazine)

·         [NET NEUTRALITY] Fate of California Net-Neutrality Bill Is Up to Brown (Wall Street Journal)

• [PRIVACY] Facebook’s Woes Rise as Hackers Expose Data of 50 Million Users (New York Times)

·         [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Manjoo: How Apple Thrived in a Season of Tech Scandals (New York Times)

• [TELECOM POLICY] McDowell: To Boost 5G, Keep the Industry Free (Wall Street Journal)
• [PRIVACY] Tech executives voice support for national privacy law (The Washington Post)

·         [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE/PRIVACY] Uber Settles Data Breach Investigation for $ 148 Million (New York Times)

Press Releases and Decisions (Sept. 24-30, 2018)

Canadian Heritage

• The Government of Canada Supports Cultural Activities with the Help of the Community Cultural Action Micro-Grant Program for Minority Schools

Canadian Intellectual Property Office

• Publication of the new Industrial Design Office Practice Manual
• Extension of the PPH pilot agreement between CIPO and SIPO

CRTC: News Releases

• CRTC announces details of the Broadband Fund
• Scott Shortliffe to the Senate Standing Committee on National Security and Defence

CRTC: Policy Announcements

• 2018-377 – Development of the Commission’s Broadband Fund – Public record: 1011-NOC2017-0112

Competition Bureau Canada

• Video streaming services encouraged to review their terms and conditions
• Competition Bureau highlights Canada’s progress in the FinTech sector
• Crossing challenging waters: a time of transition

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• Broadcasting and Telecommunications Panel launches consultations
• Government welcomes report from industry leaders outlining ambitious goals to increase Canadian global competitiveness

Federal Court of Appeal

·         [Patents] Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. v. Arctic Cat, Inc.

Federal Court of Canada

·         [Patents] Seedlings Life Science Ventures LLC v. Pfizer Canada Inc.

Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada

• Canada Celebrates Right to Know Week

Office of the Privacy Commissioner

·         Tabling of the Privacy Commissioner’s annual report

·         OPC launches Privacy Commissioner Alerts for federal public sector

·         Key lessons for public servants from the 2017-18 Annual Report

·         Privacy Commissioner denounces slow progress on fixing outdated privacy laws

·         2017-18 Annual Report to Parliament on the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act and the Privacy Act

Google

• Proposing a framework for data protection legislation

Twitter

• Creating new policies together

Facebook

·        Security Update

Upcoming Events

Senate of Canada

• Planned and possible Senate sitting days this week: Oct. 5-8, 2018
• Transport and Communications

o   October 2, 2018,  9:30 AM: Study on the modernization of Canadian communications legislation:

• William G. Hutchison, Distinguished Fellow, Innovation Policy Lab, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto (As an Individual)
• Stuart Jack, Partner (Nordicity)

o   October 3, 2018, 6:45 PM : Study on the modernization of Canadian communications legislation

• • • Aline Chevrier, Senior Director, Spectrum Licensing and Auction Operations(Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada)
    • Pamela Miller, Director General, Telecommunications and Internet Policy Branch(Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada)
    • Drew Olsen, Director, Marketplace and Legislative Policy (Canadian Heritage)
    • Thomas Owen Ripley, Director General, Broadcasting and Digital Communications Branch (Canadian Heritage)

Canadian House of Commons

• Planned House of Commons sitting days this week: Oct. 1-5, 2018
• Industry Science and Technology:

o   Oct. 1, 2018, 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. (EDT) Statutory Review of the Copyright Act    

o   Oct. 3, 2018, 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. (EDT) Statutory Review of the Copyright Act

 

• Canadian Heritage

o   Oct. 2, 2018, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (EDT) Bill C-391, Aboriginal Cultural Property Repatriation Act

 

• Access to Information, Privacy & Ethics

o   Oct. 2, 2018, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (EDT) Breach of Personal Information Involving Cambridge Analytica and Facebook

 

Current Consultations

• National Digital and Data Consultations
• Review of the Canadian Communications Legislative Framework Deadline: Nov 30 2018
• Statutory Review of the Copyright Act

 

CRTC

• Anticipated releases for the week of 1 to 5 October 2018
• Broadcasting Decision:

o   Decision relating to the following application considered under the Commission’s Part 1 process: Radio Humsafar Inc.
Ethnic commercial AM radio station – Technical changes
Public record for this application: 2018-0283-5

• Telecom Decision:

o   Amtelecom Limited Partnership – Implementation of local competition for Iristel Inc. in the exchange of Aylmer, Ontario
Public record: 8663-A2-201802067

 

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings

o   CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings