Newsletter: May 26, 2020

Weekly News (May 26, 2020)
Compiled by Fizza Kulvi with Sara Bannerman
McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(May 19 – May 25, 2020)

Canadian News 

•  [PLATFORM REGULATION] Canadian regulator orders Facebook not to mislead users on privacy controls (The Star)
• [TELECOMMUNICATION POLICY] Telecom companies urging courts for a delay to hearing on rates (Globe and Mail)
• [TELECOMMUNICATION POLICY] Trudeau says Ottawa undecided on whether to block Huawei from 5G networks (Globe and Mail)
• [CYBERSECURITY] Blair rules out using spy agencies (The Star)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Inside the battle for Foodora: ‘This is about the whole gig economy’ (The Star)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Amazon hurt them. The lockdown hurt them. Now there’s a painful loss in court. Canada’s book biz – authors, publishers, retailers – is hunting for a new business model (The Star)
• [PRIVACY] Telus to provide data from networks to Ottawa to help combat spread of COVID-19 (Globe and Mail)
• [SURVEILLANCE] OPINION: Lyon: The coronavirus pandemic highlights the need for a surveillance debate beyond ‘privacy’ (The Conversation)
• [SIDEWALK LABS] Sidewalk’s end: How the downfall of a Toronto ‘smart city’ plan began long before COVID-19 (Globe and Mail)
• [COPYRIGHT] As a digital creator, how can I protect my content and make sure I get credit for my own ideas? (Globe and Mail)
• [PRIVACY] Apple, Google release technology for pandemic-tracking apps (CBC)
  [PRIVACY] OPINION: Star Editorial Board: Canada can’t afford to fail on effective contact tracing (The Star)
• [CANCON] OPINION: Creighton et. al: Canadian content is there when we need it most (The Star)

International News 

• [TELECOMMUNICATION POLICY] U.S. agencies ask FCC to rescind Ligado spectrum decision (Reuters)
• [PLATFROM REGULATION] FACTBOX-Where do Trump and Biden stand on tech policy issues? (Reuters)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] The Technology 202: The tech industry’s shift to remote work will forever change Silicon Valley (Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] The Technology 202: TikTok’s new chief executive’s success may hinge on allaying Washington’s concerns (Washington Post)
• [PRIVACY] European Debate Over Coronavirus Apps Hints at Potential Rift in U.S. How to store user data is a key fault line for contact-tracing apps (WSJ)
• [PRIVACY] Right to Privacy Extends to Foreign Internet Users, German Court Rules (NYT)
• [PRIVACY] Privacy activist Schrems calls on EU authorities to get Irish watchdog moving (Reuters)
• [PRIVACY] Grandmother’s Refusal to Remove Photos From Facebook Tests Privacy Law (NYT)

(May 19 – May 25, 2020)

Competition Tribunal

• Case Document CT-2020-004: Commissioner of Competition and Facebook

Democratic Institutions

• Minister LeBlanc to host virtual event focused on strengthening the cybersecurity of Canadians

Microsoft

• COVID-19 has only intensified the broadband gap

Twitter

• Bot or not? The facts about platform manipulation on Twitter

Facebook

• Building the Tools to Power the Future of Work

Amazon

• Response to House Judiciary Committee letter on seller data

CRTC

News Releases:

• Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2020-165
  [2020-05-25 11:00AM]
  APPROVED – Vista Radio Ltd. – North Bay, Ontario – Application for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language commercial FM radio station in North Bay
• Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2020-164
  [2020-05-25 11:00AM]
  APPROVED – Rogers Media Inc. – Various locations in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario – Applications to renew the broadcasting licences for the commercial radio stations listed in the decision
• Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2020-163
  [2020-05-22 11:00AM]
  APPROVED – Corus Radio Inc. – Various locations in British Columbia and Ontario – Applications to renew the broadcasting licences for the commercial radio stations listed in the decision
• Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2020-161
  [2020-05-22 11:00AM]
  APPROVED – Jim Pattison Broadcast Group Ltd. (the general partner) and Jim Pattison Industries Ltd. (the limited partner), carrying on business as Jim Pattison Broadcast Group Limited Partnership – Various locations in British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba – Applications to renew the broadcasting licences for the English-language commercial radio stations listed in the decision
• Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2020-160
  [2020-05-21 11:00AM]
  APPROVED – 591989 B.C. Ltd. – Various locations in Ontario – Applications to renew the broadcasting licences for the commercial radio stations listed in the decision
• Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2020-158
  [2020-05-21 11:00AM]
  APPROVED – Groupe V Média inc., on behalf of MusiquePlus inc. – Montréal, Quebec – Application for authority to change the ownership of MusiquePlus

Application to amend certain conditions of licence for the discretionary services ELLE Fictions and MAX – This decision does not replace Broadcasting Decision 2020-115 but complements it. It sets out the rationale underlying this decision and the resulting approvals

• Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2020-154
  [2020-05-19 11:00AM]
  APPROVED – Bell Canada, on behalf of V Interactions inc. – Montréal, Québec, Trois-Rivières, Saguenay and Sherbrooke, Quebec – Application for authority to change the ownership and effective control of V Interactions inc. and to integrate, effective 1 September 2020, the V Stations into the French-language Bell Media Group. The present decision does not replace Broadcasting Decision 2020-116, but completes it. It sets out the rationale underlying that decision and the resulting approvals.

Senate of Canada

• No sitting days this week
• Upcoming committee meetings:

o   [SOCI] (May 27, 2020) Social Affairs, Science and Technology

Canadian House of Commons

• Sitting days this week: May 25 – 26, 2020
• Upcoming committee meetings:

o   [INDU] (May 29, 2020) Industry, Science and Technology

CRTC

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.

Anticipated releases for the week of May 25 – May 29

• Broadcasting Decision:  
  Applications by various licensees to renew the broadcasting licences for various radio stations 
  
  Decision relating to the following application considered by the Commission at the 12 February 2020 public hearing:
  
  
• Vista Radio Ltd.
  English-language FM radio station in North Bay
  Public record for this application: 2018-0329-7

Upcoming Public Hearings:

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

Open Public Consultations:

• Increasing High-Speed Broadband: Stakeholder and Partner Engagement (June 1, 2019 to June 20, 2020
• Renewal of CBC’s licenses (closed; Next step: Public hearing POSTPONED)
• 2019-217 Co-development of a new Indigenous Broadcasting Policy (closed; Next step: Preliminary conclusions and determinations)

Have a suggestion? Email Sara Bannerman at banners@mcmaster.ca

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