Newsletter: June 16, 2020

Weekly News (June 16, 2020)
Compiled by Emmanuel Appiah & Leandra Greenfield with Sara Bannerman
McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(June 9 – June 15, 2020)

New book: Canadian Communication Policy and Law by Sara Bannerman

Canadian News

• [PRIVACY/SURVEILLANCE] Despite push to equip officers with body cameras, evidence shows they can be an ineffective tool (The Globe and Mail -behind paywall)
• [PRIVACY/SURVEILLANCE] OPINION: Narwal: Watching the watchers: Police use of body cameras needs to be monitored (The Conversation / The Canadian Press)
• [PRIVACY] Privacy experts concerned about next stage of Ontario’s reopening plan (Toronto Sun/ Canadian Press)
• [PRIVACY] ‘Privacy concerns’ raised for unsecured voters’ lists; Personal data; Elections Canada survey highlights need for reform (National Post)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] CRTC silent on confession forced by China, ex-prisoner says; Activist claims inaction against state-owned station a political issue (Toronto Star)
• [PRIVACY] Double-double tracking; How Tim Hortons knows where you sleep, work and vacation. James McLeod (National Post)

International News

• [SURVEILLANCE/FACIAL RECOGNITION] Protesters must keep Big Tech in check (The Washington Post)
• [SURVEILLANCE/FACIAL RECOGNITION] Facial Recognition Companies Commit to Police Market After Amazon, Microsoft Exit (The Wall Street Journal)
• [SURVEILLANCE/FACIAL RECOGNITION] Microsoft Pledges Not to Sell Facial-Recognition Tools to Police Absent National Rules (The Wall Street Journal behind paywall)
• [SURVEILLANCE/FACIAL RECOGNITION] Amazon bans police use of its face recognition for a year (The Guardian)
• [SURVEILLANCE/FACIAL RECOGNITION] IBM gets out of facial recognition business (Financial Post)
• [FREEDOM OF THE PRESS/DEFAMATION] Maria Ressa, Crusading Journalist, Is Convicted in Philippines Libel Case (New York Times)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] A Government in Japan Limited Video Game Time. This Boy Is Fighting Back. (The New York Times behind paywall)
• [CENSORSHIP] Zoom shuts accounts of activists holding Tiananmen Square and Hong Kong events (The Guardian; similar story on The New York Times)
• [PRIVACY] Japan aims to launch coronavirus contact tracking app next week (Reuters)
• [PRIVACY] Italians embrace coronavirus tracing app as privacy fears ease (Reuters)

(June 9 – June 15, 2020)

Elections Canada

• 43rd General Election Evaluations

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• Joint Statement from founding members of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence
• The governments of Canada and Quebec and the international community join forces to advance the responsible development of artificial intelligence

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• OPC publishes survey of Canadian businesses on privacy-related issues

Microsoft

• Fighting child exploitation as an industry

Twitter

·         Disclosing networks of state-linked information operations we’ve removed

Facebook

• Facebook Joins Industry Effort to Fight Child Exploitation Online
• Keeping People Safe and Informed About the Coronavirus
• Response to Biden Campaign

Amazon

• We are implementing a one-year moratorium on police use of Rekognition

CRTC

Policy announcements:

• Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2020-192 and Broadcasting Order 2020-193: Revised Exemption Order Respecting Teleshopping Programming Service Undertakings

News Releases:

• Telecom order 2020-188
  [2020-06-11 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on an interim basis the following tariff application: Bell Aliant, a division of Bell Canada TN 544
• Telecom notice of consultation 2020-187
  [2020-06-11 11:00:00]
  Call for comments – Appropriate network configuration for disaggregated wholesale high-speed access services – Public record: 1011-NOC2020-0187
• Broadcasting decision 2020-186
  [2020-06-09 11:00:00]
  RENEWED – Stingray Group Inc. – Across Canada – Broadcasting licence for the national discretionary service Stingray Ambiance (formerly, The Seasonal Channel) from 1 September 2020 to 31 August 2021
• Compliance and Enforcement and Telecom decision 2020-185
  [2020-06-09 11:00:00]
  Bell Canada – Application to allow Bell Canada and its affiliates to block certain fraudulent and scam voice calls on a trial basis – Public record: 8638-B2-201905879

Senate of Canada

• Planned & possible sitting days this week: June 16-June 19

 Canadian House of Commons

·         Planned sitting day: June 17

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 June 15-19

Broadcasting Decisions:

• Decision relating to the following application considered under the Commission’s Part 1 process:
  • Blue Ant – Discretionary Services – Licence amendment
    • Public record for this application: 2019-0242-9
  • Decision relating to the following application announced in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation 2018-80:
    • VMedia Inc.
    • Reconsideration of the decision relating to the addition of QVC to the List of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution
    • Public record for this application: 2018-0077-2

Broadcasting Regulatory Policy:

• Revised Exemption Order Respecting Teleshopping Programming Service Undertakings

Upcoming Hearings

• June 16, 2020 (previously 12 May 2020 and 18 June 2020) – Gatineau, Quebec
  To consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC  2020-75, 2020-75-1, 2020-75-2 and 2020-75-3
  • View hearing documents (2020-75)

 Open Proceedings

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

 Open Public Consultations:

• Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2020-178: Call for comments – Accessibility – mobile wireless service plans that meet the needs of Canadians with various disabilities (June 1, 2020 – July 2, 2020)
• Political Communications in Federal Elections (August 21, 2020 deadline)
• 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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