Weekly News (July 23, 2019)

Compiled by Ian Steinberg with Sara Bannerman

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

 

Communications Governance Observatory Monthly Podcast Series

Podcast Episode 8: Platform Regulation Part 1 with Dr. Tamara Shepherd (17 min)

Podcast Episode 9: Platform Regulation Part 2 with Dr. Tamara Shepherd (17 min)

Canadian News (July 16-22, 2019)

• [FUNDING JOURNALISM] Panel recommends changes to news-outlet funding (Globe and Mail)
• [BROADCAST REGULATION] Opinion: How to fix CanCon, CBC at the same time (National Post, paywall)
• [TELECOM REGULATION] CRTC probing smart-phone financing practices (Globe and Mail)
• [TELECOM REGULATION] Huawei to build wireless network for Canadian north (AFP)
• [PRIVACY] Police given more powers to find missing people (Star)
• [PRIVACY] Court dismisses challenge of deal that helps US nab tax cheats in Canada (CBC/CP)
• [PRIVACY] Commissioner finds DND broke privacy rules when it revealed Postmedia reporter’s name to Irving Shipbuilding  (National Post)
• [PRIVACY] Opinion: Closing the back door of data privacy (Globe and Mail)
• [PRIVACY] Opinion: FaceApp fuss should teach us (Winnipeg Free Press)
• [LIBEL] French drops libel suit against Hillier (Star)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Should politicians be allowed to block people on Twitter? (Star)
• [INTERNET REGULATION] Opinion: Children are revictimized by abuse images left online (Star)
• [SURVEILLANCE] Transit is keeping an electronic eye on you (Winnipeg Free Press)
• [TECH REGULATION] Top analyst makes case for regulating big tech (Star)
• [ALGORITHMIC GOVERNANCE] AI could decide who gets bail; Machine learning already used in U.S., and experts expect Canada to follow suit (Star)

International News (July 16-22, 2019)

• [PLATFORM REGULATION/PRIVACY] Facebook, FTC Deal To Include Oversight Board (WSJ)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION / ANTITRUST] EU to Probe Amazon’s Marketplace Conduct (WSJ)
• [FREEDOM OF SPEECH / CENSORSHIP] Tofurky: Arkansas meat-labeling law unconstitutional (AP)
• [BROADCAST REGULATION] Buttigieg country music radio interview blocked from airing (USAToday)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION / CRYPTOCURRENCY] Facebook’s digital money plan hits wall of opposition (Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION / CRYPTOCURRENCY] The new humble Facebook is playing with fire in Washington (WSJ, paywall)
• [CYBERSECURITY] Equifax to pay up to $700M in U.S. to settle data breach, but Canada is not included (CBC)
• [DEEPFAKES] Opinion: To fix the problem of deepfakes we must treat the cause, not the symptoms (Guardian)
• [GAG ORDER] Stone barred from posting on Instagram, Facebook (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• [HATE SPEECH] Russian LGBTQ activist is killed after being listed on gay-hunting website (NBC)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Google suspends Viagogo from paid-for search results (Guardian)
• [PRIVACY / LAWFUL ACCESS] Barr Revives Debate Over ‘Warrant-Proof’ Encryption (WSJ)
• [PRIVACY / STORED COMMUNICATIONS] Defence in murder case can obtain private social media posts (AP)
• [PRIVACY] Panic over Russian company’s FaceApp a sign of new distrust of Internet (Washington Post)

Press Releases and Decisions (July 16-22, 2019)

Federal Court of Canada

• [TRADEMARK] Loblaws Inc. v. Columbia Insurance Company

Federal Trade Commission of the United States

• Equifax to Pay $575 Million as Part of Settlement with FTC, CFPB, and States Related to 2017 Data Breach

Competition Bureau of Canada

• G7 competition authorities reach a common understanding of the challenges posed by the digital economy  

CRTC

News Releases:

• Telecom order 2019-260
  [2019-07-19 11:00:00]
  Ex parte application – The Commission approves on an interim basis the following tariff applications: Bell Canada. TN 956 and TN 957
• Telecom order 2019-259
  [2019-07-18 11:00:00]
  Bragg Communications Incorporated, operating as Eastlink – Destandardization of 30 Mbps third-party Internet access service – Public record: Tariff Notice 39
• Broadcasting decision 2019-258
  [2019-07-17 11:00:00]
  DENIED – Quebecor Media Inc. – Various locations in Quebec – Application to amend the condition of licence relating to described video for the conventional television stations and certain discretionary television services operated by TVA Group Inc.
• Broadcasting decision 2019-257
  [2019-07-17 11:00:00]
  APPROVED – Videotron Ltd. – Across Canada – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the national, French- and English-language terrestrial pay-per-view service Indigo
• Broadcasting decision 2019-256
  [2019-07-16 11:00:00]
  RENEWED – Various licensees – Across Canada – Broadcasting licences for the commercial radio stations set out in the decision from 1 September 2019 to 31 March 2020
• Broadcasting decision 2019-255
  [2019-07-16 11:00:00]
  RENEWED – Various licensees – Across Canada – Broadcasting licences for the French-language community radio station CINQ-FM Montréal from 1 September 2019 to 31 December 2019 and the English-language commercial radio station CKKS-FM Chilliwack from 1 September 2019 to 31 August 2020

Global Affairs Canada

• Parliamentary Secretary Oliphant to attend international meeting on religious freedom

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• Government of Canada to announce high-speed Internet funding for rural communities in Saskatchewan
• Government of Canada to announce high-speed Internet funding for rural communities in Nova Scotia 
• Rural communities of Mountain View and Glasgow Station, Ontario, will benefit from faster Internet
• MP Hehr announced new CanCode investment

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• OPC’s ATIP Annual Reports 2018-19 tabled in Parliament

Microsoft

• New cyberthreats require new ways to protect democracy

Upcoming Events

Senate of Canada

• No fixed and possible Senate sitting days this week; Senate reconvenes on September 17, 2019

Canadian House of Commons

• No fixed and possible House of Commons sitting days this week; House reconvenes on September 16, 2019

Innovation, Science and Economic Development

• Consultation on a Policy and Licensing Framework for Spectrum in the 3500 MHz Band

CRTC

Broadcasting Decisions:

Applications by various licensees to renew the broadcasting licences for various radio stations

Applications by various licensees to renew the broadcasting licences for various television stations

Decision relating to the following application considered by the Commission at the 19 March 2019 public hearing:

• New Song Communications Ministries Ltd.
  Community radio station in Saint John
  Public Record for this application: 2018-0200-2

 

Upcoming Public Hearings:

• • September
    To consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2019-225. View hearing documents (2019-225)

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings