Newsletter: November 3, 2020

Weekly News (November 3, 2020)
Compiled by Emmanuel Appiah with Sara Bannerman
McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(October 27 – November 3, 2020)

Canadian News

• [BROADCASTING REGULATION] Ottawa says Broadcasting Act changes will raise over $800-million annually from streaming services like Disney+ and Netflix (Globe and Mail / Nov 3)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE/CANADIAN HERITAGE] Facebook too cozy with Heritage official advocacy group says (Ottawa Citizen; Similar story with The Toronto Star)
• [PRIVACY/PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Calgary duo launch class suit against Facebook (The Calgary Herald via PressReader)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Hamilton MPs back challenge to big tech (The Hamilton Spectator)
• [GOVERNMENT PROPAGANDA] Canadian military wants to establish new organization to use propaganda, other techniques to influence Canadians (Ottawa Citizen)
• [PRIVACY/FACIAL RECOGNITION] Millions of mall visitor photos secretly collected, probe finds (The Toronto Star)
• [PRIVACY/ALGORITHM REGULATION] Canada crawling toward AI regulatory regime, but experts say reform is urgent (The Toronto Star)
• [PUBLIC BROADCASTING] Current, former CBC employees condemn corporation’s branded-content initiative (The Globe and Mail)
• [PRIVACY] Students slam anti-cheating software (The Toronto Star)
• [ACCESS TO INFORMATION] Secrecy over DND contracts prevents public from determining whether work is actually being done: defence union (The Ottawa Citizen)
• [ACCESS TO INFORMATION] Federal government considers declassifying historical spy papers ( The National Post)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Opinion: Canada needs teeth to make web giants pay up (The National Post)
• [ACCESS TO INFORMATION] Opinion: Campbell Clark: Liberals dismiss the right to know, using a crisis as a shield (The Globe and Mail)

International News

• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Tech CEOs deny claims of bias at contentious hearing (The Montreal Gazette via PressReader)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE/FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Section 230: tech CEOs to defend key internet law before Congress (The Guardian)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE/BIG TECH] Big Tech critics raise cash for Biden (The Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Facebook Prepares Measures for Possible Election Unrest (The Wall Street Journal)
• [PIVACY] Court sets rules for how EU can collect Facebook’s data (The Toronto Star via PressReader)
• [BROADBAND POLICY/FCC] U.S. agencies question FCC plan to shift auto spectrum to Wi-Fi (Reuters)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] FCC wants to require ID of foreign-government sponsored U.S. programs (Reuters)
• [FACIAL RECOGNITION/PRIVACY] Facial recognition used to identify Lafayette Square protester accused of assault (The Washington Post)
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS/POLITICAL INFORMATION] Who Is Policing Political Texts in the Final Days of Election? Wireless Companies Are Trying (the Wall Street Journal)
• [INTERNET POLICY] Nicaragua approves “cybercrimes” law, alarming rights groups ( The Associated Press)
• [PRIVACY/ANTICOMPETITION] Ad Firms Fight Apple’s New Opt-In Rule (the Wall Street Journal)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE/CENSORSHIP] Zoom Video Tackles Tricky Role of Policing Its Service (The Wall Street Journal)
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY] Dish Offers To Build 5G With Pentagon (The Wall Street Journal)
• [INTERNET POLICY] Opinion: Daniel Tsai: There should be no safe harbour for internet hate speech (The Welland Tribune)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/JOURNALISM] Fears of crackdown on US journalism as Trump ally removes editorial ‘firewall’ (The Guardian)
• [COPYRIGHT] Stop the music! Chorus of artists tell Trump to tune it down ( The Toronto Star)
• [DISINFORMATION/ELECTIONS] False social media posts run rampant on campaign (The Toronto Star via PressReader)
• [FREEDOM OF INFORMATION] Justice Amy Coney Barrett Hears Her First Supreme Court Argument (The New York Times)
• [DEFAMATION] Justice Dept. Blocked in Bid to Shield Trump From Rape Defamation Suit (The New York Times)
• [DEFAMATION/LIBEL] Johnny Depp loses British libel case over article that called him a ‘wife beater’ (The Washington Post)
• [DEFAMATION] Judge dismisses defamation claim by Dakota Access protester ( The Toronto Star)

(October 27 – November 3, 2020)

Canadian Heritage

• Technical Briefing and Media Availability on the Broadcasting Act: November 3

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• CRTC invites Canadians to share their views on telecom services in the North

Global Affairs Canada

• Statement by Media Freedom Coalition on International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists  

Supreme Court of Canada

• [DEFAMATION] Ahmed Bouragba v. Ontario College of Teachers (Ont.) (Civil) (By Leave): The application for leave to appeal from the judgment of the Court of Appeal for Ontario, Number C66080, 2019 ONCA 1028, dated December 31, 2019, is dismissed with costs.
• [SEARCH & SEIZURE] Daniel John Kupchik v. Her Majesty the Queen (Man.) (Criminal): The motion for an extension of time to serve and file the application for leave to appeal is granted. The application for leave to appeal from the judgment of the Court of Appeal of Manitoba, Number AR19-30-09222, 2020 MBCA 26, dated February 25, 2020, is dismissed.

Federal Court of Appeal

• [PATENT] Jewett v. Canada (Attorney General) – 2020 FCA 187 – 2020-11-02
• [PATENT] Camso Inc. c. Soucy International Inc. – 2020 CAF 183 – 2020-10-28

Federal Court of Canada

• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS] Shaw Communications Canada Inc v. Amer – 2020 FC 1026 – 2020-11-02

Supreme Court of the United States

• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/PROTEST] MCKESSON v. DOE: No. 19-1108 argued date: decided date – November 2, 2020
• [ANTITRUST/BROADCAST] NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE v. NINTH INNING, INC. No. 19-1098 argued date: decided date – November 2, 2020

 Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• Facial recognition and artificial intelligence: International privacy guardians call for more protection and accountability
• Cadillac Fairview collected 5 million shoppers’ images

Copyright Board of Canada
The Board has published below the most recent proposed tariffs filed by collective societies.

Re:Sound
(Deadline for filing objections: November 27, 2020)

• Tariff 1.B – Non-Commercial Radio (2022-2024), October 28, 2020
• Tariff 1.C – CBC Radio and Simulcasts (2022-2024), October 28, 2020
• Tariff 4 – Satellite Radio Services (2022-2024), October 28, 2020
• Tariff 8 – Non-Interactive and Semi-Interactive Streaming (2022-2024), October 28, 2020

SOCAN
(Deadline for filing objections: November 30, 2020)

• Tariff 1.A – Commercial Radio, October 30, 2020
• Tariff 1.B – Non-commercial Radio Other than the CBC, October 30, 2020
• Tariff 2.A – Commercial Television Stations, October 30, 2020
• Tariff 3.A – Cabarets, Cafes, etc. – Live Music, October 30, 2020
• Tariff 4.A – Live Performances at Concert Halls, etc. – Popular Music Concerts, October 30, 2020
• Tariff 4.B – Live Performances at Concert Halls, etc. – Classical Music Concerts, October 30, 2020
• Tariff 5.A – Exhibitions and Fairs, October 30, 2020
• Tariff 5.B – Concerts at Exhibitions and Fairs, October 30, 2020
• Tariff 6 – Motion Picture Theatres, October 30, 2020
• Tariff 14 – Performance of an Individual Work, October 30, 2020
• Tariff 15.A – Background Music in Establishments not Covered by Tariff 16 – Background Music, October 30, 2020
• Tariff 15.B – Background Music in Establishments not Covered by Tariff 16 -Telephone Music on Hold, October 30, 2020
• Tariff 16 – Background Music Suppliers, October 30, 2020
• Tariff 17 – Transmission of Pay, Specialty and Other Television Services by Distribution Undertakings, October 30, 2020
• Tariff 23 – Hotel and Motel In-Room Services, October 30, 2020
• SOCAN-SODRAC Tariff 2.A.R – Commercial Television, October 30, 2020 

Google

• The Digital Services Act must not harm Europe’s economic recovery
• Sundar Pichai’s testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee

YouTube

• Our approach to Election Day on YouTube

Twitter

• Serving the public conversation during the 2020 New Zealand Election

CRTC

News Releases:

• Telecom notice of consultation 2020-367
  [2020-11-02 11:00:00]
  Call for comments – Review of the Commission’s regulatory framework for Northwestel Inc. and the state of telecommunications services in Canada’s North – Public record: 1011-NOC2020-0367
• Telecom notice of consultation 2020-366
  [2020-10-30 11:00:00]
  Call for comments regarding potential regulatory measures to make access to poles owned by Canadian carriers more efficient – Public record: 1011-NOC2020-0366
• Telecom order 2020-365
  [2020-10-30 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves the following tariff application: Independent Telecommunications Providers Association TN 119
• Broadcasting decision 2020-364
  [2020-10-29 11:00:00]
  APPROVED – Bell Media Radio Atlantic Inc. – Fredericton, New Brunswick – Application to change the authorized contours of the English-language commercial AM radio station CKHJ Fredericton
• Broadcasting decision 2020-361
  [2020-10-28 11:00:00]
  APPROVED – Rogers Media Inc. – Grande Prairie and Peace River, Alberta – Application to change the authorized contours of CFGP-FM-1 Peace River, a rebroadcasting transmitter of the English-language commercial radio station CFGP-FM Grande Prairie
• Broadcasting decision 2020-360
  [2020-10-28 11:00:00]
  APPROVED – Bell Media Inc. – Sydney, Nova Scotia – Application to change the authorized contours of the English-language commercial television programming undertaking CJCB-TV Sydney
• Broadcasting decision 2020-359
  [2020-10-27 11:00:00]
  APPROVED – Newfoundland Broadcasting Company Limited – St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador – Application to amend the condition of licence relating to described video for CJON-DT

Senate of Canada

• Planned & Possible sitting days this week: November 2-6, 2020

 Canadian House of Commons

• Planned & Possible sitting days this week: November 2-6, 2020
• Upcoming committee meetings:
• [ETHI] (November 2, 2020) Standing Committee on access to Information, Privacy and Ethics: Committee Business
• [CIIT] (November 3, 2020) Standing Committee on International Trade: Vote 1 under Invest in Canada Hub
• [INDU] (November 5, 2020) Standing Committee on Industry, Science, and Technology: Committee Business
• [CHPC] (November 5, 2020) Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage: Main Estimates, Supplementary Estimates, and Committee Business

Ministry of Canadian Heritage

• [BROADCASTING] Media Advisory – Technical Briefing and Media Availability on the Broadcasting Act

 CRTC

Open Proceedings

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

Anticipated releases for the week of November 2-6, 2020

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.

Telecommunications Decisions:

• Rogers Communications Canada Inc. – Application to review and vary the 3 April 2020 Secretary General letter regarding the extension of the deadline for Bell Canada to deploy toll trunks
  File number: 8662-R28-2020002971
• CISC Emergency Services Working Group – Consensus report ESRE0086 regarding dispatchable location from originating networks
  Public record: 8621-C12-01/08

Open Public Consultations:

• Call for comments – Establishment of new deadlines for Canada’s transition to next-generation 9-1-1 (Deadline for replies: November 9, 2020)