Newsletter: February 4, 2020

Weekly News (February 4, 2020)

Compiled by Leandra Greenfield with Sara Bannerman

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(January 28-February 4, 2020)

Canadian News

• [BROADCASTING POLICY] Independent panel report calls for more Canadian streaming content and an ad-free CBC (CBC)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] OPINION: COYNE: A regulatory power grab without precedent, in Canada or the democratic world
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] OPINION: Menzies: Broadcasting report constitutes a stunning overreach (Globe and Mail)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] Liberals won’t demand licensing requirements for news organizations: Guilbeault (CBC News)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] Writers Guild of Canada hopes new streaming laws will reverse ‘service industry’ trend (Globe and Mail)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] Advertisers return to the Canadian Super Bowl broadcast now that signal-swapping is back (Globe and Mail)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Carleton winning few friends over Facebook exec’s appointment (CBC)
• [PRIVACY] Facial recognition technology poses ‘enormous’ potential for abuse, NDP says (Toronto Star)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] N.S. court says man’s rights not infringed when Grabher plate was revoked (Global News)
• [PRIVACY] Waterfront Toronto tries to block legal attempt to shut down Sidewalk Labs smart-city project (Globe and Mail)
• [PRIVACY] A smart way to build a smart city (Globe and Mail)
• [CENSORSHIP] Canadian-based UN agency under fire after Twitter spat about coronavirus (Toronto Star)
• [TELECOMUNICATIONS POLICY] OPINION: Alang: Cheap wireless plans should be a right. Here’s why (Toronto Star)
• [ACCESS TO INFORMATION] OPINION: Fumano: Fight to reveal secret Little Mountain sale deal coming to city hall (Vancouver Sun)
• [PRIVACY] OPINION: Dr. Cadesky and Shaw: Your personal health data is pirates’ gold. Here’s how we can protect it
• [PRIVACY] Opinion: Felesky and Moor: Why Canada must be open to open banking (Globe and Mail)

International News

• [PRIVACY] Met Police to deploy facial recognition cameras (BBC News)
• [PRIVACY] Facebook will now show you exactly how it stalks you — even when you’re not using Facebook (Washington Post)
• [PRIVACY] IKEA Promises New Data Controls for Consumers (WSJ)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Exclusive: Google kept scam fishing license ads up for months after being told about them, states say (CNN Business)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] The Technology 202: YouTube explains how it will moderate political falsehoods just in time for Iowa (Washington Post)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Librarians Could Face Charges for ‘Age-Inappropriate’ Material Under Proposal (NYT)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Dating apps face US inquiry over underage use, sex offenders (ABC News)
• [CENSORSHIP] Anger over the Wuhan virus is sparking pushback against censorship in China. It won’t last (CNN)
• [PRIVACY] Facebook agrees to $550 million settlement in facial recognition class action lawsuit (NYT)
• [PRIVACY] Amazon’s Ring security shares your personal data with Facebook and Google, report says (USA Today)
• [PRIVACY] Stephen King just quit Facebook, blaming the ‘flood of false information’ and privacy concerns (Business Insider)

(January 28-February 4, 2020)

Canadian Heritage

• Statement by Ministers Guilbeault and Bains on the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review Panel Final Report

CRTC

News Releases:

• New safeguards now in place for Internet customers
• Statement by Ian Scott, Chairperson and CEO of the CRTC, in response to the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review Panel’s Final Report
• Canadians are invited to share their views on CBC’s programming: consultation period extended
• Broadcasting decision 2020-39
  [2020-01-31 11:00:00]
  DENIED – Dufferin Communications Inc. – Toronto and Orangeville, Ontario – Applications to change the frequencies and authorized contours of the English-language radio stations CIRR-FM Toronto and CIDC-FM Orangeville
• Broadcasting decision 2020-38
  [2020-01-30 11:00:00]
  APPROVED – CJNE-FM Radio Inc. – Nipawin, Saskatchewan – Application for a broadcasting licence to operate a low-power, English-language commercial FM radio station in Nipawin
• Telecom notice of consultation 2020-37
  [2020-01-30 11:00:00]
  Establishment of a CISC ad hoc committee for relief planning for area codes 438 and 514 in Montréal, Quebec – Public record: 1011-NOC2020-0037
• Telecom notice of consultation 2020-36
  [2020-01-30 11:00:00]
  Establishment of a CISC ad hoc committee for relief planning for area codes 249 and 705 in Ontario – Public record: 1011-NOC2020-0036
• Telecom notice of consultation 2020-35
  [2020-01-30 11:00:00]
  Establishment of a CISC ad hoc committee for relief planning for area codes 416, 437, and 647 in Toronto, Ontario – Public record: 1011-NOC2020-0035
• Telecom notice of consultation 2020-34
  [2020-01-30 11:00:00]
  Establishment of a CISC ad hoc committee for relief planning for area codes 819 and 873 in western Quebec – Public record: 1011-NOC2020-0034
• Telecom decision 2020-33
  [2020-01-29 11:00:00]
  TELUS Communications Inc. – Application to review and vary Telecom Orders 2019-170 and 2019-171 – Public record: 8662-T66-201907411
• Telecom order 2020-32
  [2020-01-29 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc. TN 1062
• Telecom order 2020-31
  [2020-01-29 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Bell Aliant, a division of Bell Canada TN 532
• Telecom order 2020-30
  [2020-01-29 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc. TN 1050
• Telecom order 2020-29
  [2020-01-29 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc. TN 1060
• Telecom order 2020-28
  [2020-01-29 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Bell Aliant, a division of Bell Canada TN 530
• Broadcasting notices of consultation 2019-379-1
  [2020-01-28 11:00:00]
  Notice of hearing – 25 May 2020 – Gatineau, Quebec – New deadline for submission of interventions: 20 February 2020 – New deadline for submission of the licensee’s replies: 6 March 2020
• Telecom order 2020-27
  [2020-01-28 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc.TN 1049
• Telecom order 2020-26
  [2020-01-28 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc.TN 1054
• Broadcasting notices of consultation 2020-25
  [2020-01-28 11:00:00]
  Commercial radio policy framework review

Elections Canada

• Registered Political Parties’ Fourth Quarter Financial Returns for 2019 Now Online

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• Broadcasting & Telecommunications Panel releases Canada’s Communications Future: Time to Act

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• Commissioner seeks input on protecting Canadians’ rights as artificial intelligence expands
• OPC launches a privacy presentation package aimed to get Canadians talking on Data Privacy Day

Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review

• Final Report: Canada’s communications future: Time to act

Google

• Supporting the 2020 U.S. election

YouTube

• How YouTube supports elections

Microsoft

• Using AI to advance the health of people and communities around the world

Twitter

• Topics: Behind the Tweets

Facebook

• Starting the Decade by Giving You More Control Over Your Privacy
• Keeping People Safe and Informed About the Coronavirus
• Helping Gaming Creators Foster Inclusive Online Communities

Senate of Canada

• Sitting days this week: February 4-6, 2020.
• Possible sitting day this week: February 7, 2020

Canadian House of Commons

• Sitting days this week: February 4-7, 2020.

CRTC

Anticipated Releases: The CRTC plans to issue the following decisions, regulatory policies and reports in the coming week. This list may be incomplete and is subject to change without notice:

• Broadcasting Decisions: Decision relating to the following application considered by the Commission at the 3 December 2019 public hearing:
  • Stingray Radio Inc.
    • CIXL-FM Welland and CKYY-FM Welland
    • Public record for this application: 2019-0441-7
    • Decision relating to the following application announced in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation 2019-225:
  • Radio Témiscamingue incorporée
    • CKVM-FM Ville-Marie and its transmitter CVKM-1-FM Témiscamingue
    • Public record for this application: 2018-0684-5

• Telecom Decisions:
  • Independent Telecommunications Providers Association – Application to review and vary Telecom Regulatory Policy 2018‑213
    • Public record: 8662-J92-201808015
  • Videotron Ltd. (Videotron) – Application for the Commission to order Bell Canada, on behalf of Bell Mobility Inc., not to suspend wholesale roaming services offered to Videotron – Final relief
    • Public record: 8660-V3-201904516

• Telecom Regulatory Policy:
  • Review of the price cap and local forbearance regimes
    • Public record: 1011-NOC2018-0214

Upcoming Hearings:

• [BROADCASTING] February 12, 2020 – Montréal (Québec)
  • To consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC CRTC 2019-358 and 2019-358-1
  • View hearing documents (2019-358)
• [BROADCASTING] February 18, 2020 (previously 13 January 2020) – Gatineau, Quebec
  • Review of mobile wireless services. Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2019-57 and 2019-57-1
  • View hearing documents (2019-57)

Upcoming Public Hearings:

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

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