Newsletter: November 5, 2019

Weekly News (November 5, 2019)

Compiled by Ian Steinberg and Kim Payne with Sara Bannerman

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

Canadian News

(October 23 – November 4)

• [GIG ECONOMY] Supreme Court to hear Uber case with sweeping implications for workers in digital age (The Globe and Mail)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE; ELECTION COMMUNICATIONS] Opinion: Delacourt Twitter’s ad ban won’t fix what ails our political culture (The Star)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Editorial: Twitter’s political ad ban versus Facebook’s Failure (Spectator)
• [TELECOM REGULATION] Opinion: Campan: The CRTC Needs To Get Out Of The Way (Financial Post)
• [PRIVACY] Ontario government to publish doctors’ billings as part of proposed changes to OHIP oversight (The Star)
• [ADVERTISING REGULATION] Plain-packaged cigarettes to hit Canadian shelves as new regulations take effect on Nov. 9 (The Globe and Mail)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Ontario argues carbon tax stickers on gas pumps help ‘further’ free expression (National Post)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Edmonton writer in residence calls out library CEO for supporting space rental to Meghan Murphy (The Star)
• [SMART CITIES] New Sidewalk deal strikes better balance, experts say (Globe and Mail)
• [SMART CITIES] Sidewalk Labs to release details on data; Firm explains technology and data collection plans for high-tech district (The Globe and Mail)
• [SMART CITIES] How Waterfront Toronto’s Stephen Diamond went up against Sidewalk Labs and won (The Star)
• [SMART CITIES] Developers express interest in working on proposed Waterfront Toronto project (The Globe and Mail)
• [PRIVACY] You could soon use your face to pay for groceries, but privacy experts are urging caution (The Star)
• [ACCESS TO INFORMATION / MANDATORY DISCLOSURE] Salmon deaths in Newfoundland prompt review of public bodies’ disclosure obligations (The Globe and Mail)
• [CYBERSECURITY]Data Theft Hit 4.2 Million, Say Revised Desjardins Figures; Initial Report Had 2.9 Million Affected (The Globe and Mail)
• [CYBERSECURITY] Nunavut government services affected by weekend ransomware attack (National Post)
• [WIRETAP; SECURITY OF INFORMATION ACT] Ottawa challenges court order to turn over details of spy operation on Chinese embassy (Globe & Mail)

 International News

(October 23 – November 4)

• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Twitter to ban all political advertising, raising pressure on Facebook (Guardian)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Opinion (Robert Reich): Facebook and Twitter spread Trump’s lies, so we must break then up (Guardian)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Facebook agrees to pay fine over Cambridge Analytica scandal (Guardian)
• [PRIVACY] The Government Protects Our Food and Cars. Why Not Our Data? (NYT)
• [ANTI-TRUST] Labour calls for halt to Google’s acquisition of Fitbit (Guardian)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Facebook employees ‘strongly object’ to policy allowing false claims in political ads (Guardian)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE/ELECTIONS] I worked on political ads at Facebook. They profit by manipulating us (Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] How key Republicans inside Facebook are shifting its politics to the right (Guardian)
• [CENSORSHIP] Same sex scene cut on Delta flights (Washington Post)
• [COPYRIGHT] Taylor Swift returns to US court over copyright lawsuit (Guardian)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Facebook removes Africa accounts linked Russian troll factory (Guardian)
• [PRIVACY] Google sued by ACCC after allegedly misleading customers over location data collection (Guardian)
• [ESPIONAGE] WhatsApp says Israeli firm used its app in spy program (NYT)
• [PRIVACY] Missouri agency tracked Planned Parenthood patients’ periods (AP)
• [ONLINE HARASSMENT] Twitter fueled attacks on Muslim candidates in 2018, study finds (Washington Post)
• [DEFAMATION] Elon Musk to go to trial in December over ‘pedo guy’ tweet (Guardian)
• [DEFAMATION] Columnist sues Trump and says he defamed her over sexual assault claim (CNN)

(October 23 – November 4)

 CRTC

News Releases:

• Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2019-363
  • Telecommunications service providers that have failed to become participants in the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services Inc.
  • Deadline for submission of interventions: 16 December 2019
• Telecom Decision CRTC 2019-362
  • CISC Network Working Group – Consensus report NTRE062 regarding the implementation of disaggregated wholesale high-speed access services
  • The Commission approves, with changes, the CISC Network Working Group’s consensus report regarding the implementation of disaggregated wholesale high-speed access services, including the recommendations set out therein.
• Broadcasting notice of consultation 2019-321-1
  [2019-10-31 11:00:00]
  Notice of applications received – Additional information added to the public file for items 1 to 3 – New deadline for submission of interventions/comments/answers for items 1 to 3: 12 November 2019 – New deadline for submission of the applicant’s replies for items 1 to 3: 18 November 2019
• Telecom decision 2019-361
  [2019-10-31 11:00:00]
  9315-1884 Québec inc. – Implementation of local competition for TELUS Communications Inc. in the exchanges of Courcelles and Lambton, Quebec – Public record: 8663-L2-201811224
• Telecom order 2019-360
  [2019-10-30 11:00:00]
  Determination of costs award with respect to the participation of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre in the proceeding that led to Telecom Regulatory Policy 2019-354 – File numbers: 1011-NOC2017-0450 and 4754-601
• Broadcasting order 2019-359
  [2019-10-30 11:00:00]
  Broadcasting Licence Fees – Part II
• Broadcasting notice of consultation 2019-358
  [2019-10-29 11:00:00]
  Notice of hearing – 12 February 2020 – Montréal, Quebec – Deadline for submission of interventions/comments/answers: 28 November 2019
• Telecom order 2019-357
  [2019-10-29 11:00:00]
  Streamlined Order – The Commission approves the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc. TN 1055
• Telecom notice of consultation 2019-57-1
  [2019-10-28 11:00:00]
  Notice of hearing – Review of mobile wireless services – Changes to procedure – Revised public hearing commencement date: 18 February 2020 – Revised deadline for further comments: 22 November 2019 – Deadline for parties to reply to the Commissioner of Competition’s economic studies: 13 January 2020 – Revised deadline for final submissions: 23 March 2020
• Broadcasting decision 2019-356
  [2019-10-28 11:00:00]
  APPROVED – 10679313 Canada Inc. – Sainte-Marie, Quebec – Application for a broadcasting licence to operate a French-language commercial FM radio station in Sainte-Marie
• Broadcasting decision 2019-355
  [2019-10-25 11:00:00]
  APPROVED – Michel Lambert, on behalf of a corporation to be incorporated – Saint-Raymond-de-Portneuf, Quebec – Application for a broadcasting licence to operate a French-language commercial FM radio station in Saint-Raymond-de-Portneuf
• Telecom regulatory policy 2019-354
  [2019-10-24 11:00:00]
  Review of the reseller registration obligation – Public record: 1011-NOC2017-0450

Competition Bureau

• Competition Bureau hosts American and Mexican counterparts with a focus on fostering a competitive digital economy
• Competition Bureau takes action on false or misleading marketing practices in online flight sales

Elections Canada

• Canada provides electoral funding support to strengthen democracy in Ethiopia

Global Affairs Canada

• Announcement of new diplomatic appointments
• Statement on International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists
• Canada deeply concerned by election irregularities in Bolivia

 Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• International privacy guardians urge legislators to reaffirm commitment to privacy as a right and value in itself
• Privacy Commissioner shares lessons learned after one year of mandatory breach reporting

Federal Communications Commission

• FCC Takes Steps to Enforce Quality Standards for Rural Broadband on October 31, 2019 – Order on Reconsideration
• Chairman Pai Statement on New Rules to Protect Communications Networks on October 28, 2019 – News Release

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings