Newsletter: May 4, 2021

Weekly News (May 4^th, 2021)

Compiled by Fizza Kulvi and Sara Bannerman
McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

THIS WEEK: May 3-7, 2021: Communication and Cultural Policy in the Age of the Platform, on Zoom, presented by the Communication Governance Observatory (CGO) and the Centre for Networked Media and Performance (CNMAP) of McMaster University.

 

The Communications Governance Discussion Group meets every few weeks by Zoom.  Email organizer Derek Hrynyshyn <derekh@yorku.ca> for details.

(April 27 – May 3, 2021)

Canadian News

• [BRADCASTING POLICY Liberals shut down debate on Bill C-10 amendment (National Post)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] NDP, Bloc side with government amid controversy over Broadcasting Act changes (Globe and Mail)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] OPINION: Sparrow: Sovereign nations tell their own stories. The Broadcasting Act must prioritize Canadian creators and culture (The Star)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] OPINION: Nalbandian: Canada should be transparent in how it uses AI to screen immigrants (The Conversation)
• [TELECOM POLICY] OPINION: Editorial Board: When it comes to cellphone competition, the CRTC tells Canadians: Please hold (Globe and Mail)
• [TELECOM POLICY] BCE tops profit as broadband network expansion and consumers buy new phones (Globe and Mail)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] OPINION: Hrick, Khoo & Kim: Protecting against online gender-based violence and harassment (The Star)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Teacher unions challenge new Ontario bill on election advertising(The Star)
• [DATA PROTECTION] Ontario to launch long-awaited data oversight body in new digital drive(Globe and Mail)
• [PRIVACY]Le Fléau des Caméras-Espionnes (LaPresse)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Netflix chooses Toronto for its Canadian corporate headquarters(The Star)
• [DEFAMATION] Un Québécois poursuit TikTok et une influenceuse pour 1M$ (Journal de Montréal)
• [PRIVACY] Les données de milliers de Québécois au Tribunal administratif du logement laissées sans protection (Le Devoir) 
• [DATA PROTECTION] Human error at heart of 2020 provincial data breach (Winnipeg Free Press)
• [PRIVACY] Veteran Calgary Police Service sergeant charged under Alberta’s privacy law (The Star)
• [INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY] Droit d’auteur; Des Montréalais contre Iron Man (LaPresse)

International News

• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Facebook’s Oversight Board has decided the fate of Trump’s account. Here’s everything you need to know. (Washington Post)
• [PRIVACY] Internet Privacy Legislation Dies in Florida (WSJ)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] The Technology 202: Uber, Lyft and Doordash stocks plunged as labor secretary signals hard line on gig work (Washington Post)
• [INTERNET ACCESS] President Biden taps Kamala Harris to lead effort to close digital divide(CNET)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Breaking Point: How Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook Became Foes(NYT)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] Opinion: Editorial Board: The United States can’t let other countries write AI policy for it (Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] OPINION: Bensinger: Stopping the Manipulation Machines (NYT)
• [PRESS FREEDOM] OPINION: Ressa & Posetti: Women journalists face escalating violence online. We should know. (Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] China Steps Up Oversight of Tech (WSJ)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] As Outbreak Rages, India Orders Critical Social Media Posts to Be Taken Down (NYT)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] North Korea’s Kim Il Sung Has a Memoir. South Koreans Aren’t Allowed to Buy It. (WSJ)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Cuban government ends leading dissident’s hunger strike(Reuters)
• [PRESS FREEDOM] OPINION: Editorial Board: Morocco’s jailed journalists deserve the Biden administration’s attention (Washington Post)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Linfield University Fires Professor Who Spoke Out About Misconduct Cases (NYT)

 

(April 27 – May 3, 2021)

Innovation, Science and Economic Development

• $38M to provide high-speed Internet access to more than 2,850 households in the Granit RCM by September 2022

Microsoft

• Building on a year of open data: progress and promise

Amazon

• The Walt Disney Company Uses AWS to Support the Global Expansion of Disney+

CRTC

News Releases:

• • Broadcasting Decision CRTC  2021-153
    [2021-05-03 11:00:00]
    APPROVED – Maritime Broadcasting System Limited – Digby, Nova Scotia – Application for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language commercial FM radio station in Digby to replace the English-language commercial AM radio station CKDY Digby
  • Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2021-142
    [2021-04-28 11:00:00]
    APPROVED – International Harvesters for Christ Evangelistic Association Inc. – Scarborough, Ontario – Application for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language specialty (Christian music) FM radio station in Scarborough
  • Compliance and Enforcement and Telecom Decision CRTC 2021-141
    [2021-04-27 11:00:00]
    Bell Canada – Procedural and confidentiality ruling on application by Bell Canada and its affiliates to permanently block certain fraudulent and scam voice calls – Public record: 8638-B2-202006345

Senate of Canada

• Planned & Possible sitting days this week: Tuesday, May 4^th – Friday, May 7^th

 Canadian House of Commons

• Planned & Possible sitting days this week: Monday, May 3^rd – Friday May 7^th
• Upcoming Meetings:
  [CHPC] (May 6^th) Bill C-10, An Act to Amend the Broadcasting Act

[CHPC] (May 7^th) Bill C-10, An Act to Amend the Broadcasting Act  

CRTC

 Open Proceedings

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

Anticipated releases for the week of May 3 to 7 2021

The CRTC plans to issue the following decisions and/or regulatory policies 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 2020 public hearing:

• • • Maritime Broadcasting System Limited
      Digby, Nova Scotia
      CKDY Digby – Conversion to the FM band
      Public record: 2020-0175-9

Decisions relating to the following applications considered under the Commission’s Part 1 process:

• Fairchild Radio (Vancouver FM) Ltd.
  Vancouver, British Columbia
  CHKG-FM Vancouver – Technical changes
  Public record: 2021-0086-6
• Shaw Cablesystems Limited
  Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
  Terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertaking serving Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario – Revocation of licence
  Public record: 2021-0190-6

Telecom Decisions:

• Fibernetics Corporation – Application for relief regarding unjustifiable conduct relating to local network interconnection between the company and Bell Canada
  Public record: 8643-F27-202004183
• Forbearance from the regulation of high-capacity / digital data services interexchange private line services on certain additional routes
  Public record: 8638-S1-01/98
• Iristel Inc. – Application for the Commission to order Rogers Communications Canada Inc. to refrain from manipulating caller location identification information
  Public record: 8622-J64-202004662

Open Public Consultations:  

• Responsible use of AI: https://www.canada.ca/en/government/system/digital-government/digital-government-innovations/responsible-use-ai.html
• Consultation on Amending CPC-2-0-03 – Radiocommunication and Broadcasting Antenna Systems (May 17, 2021)
• 2021-9 – Call for comments – Development of a network-level blocking framework to limit botnet traffic and strengthen Canadians’ online safety – Public record: 1011-NOC2021-0009 (May 5, 2021)
• Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission: 2019-217 Co-development of a new Indigenous Broadcasting Policy
• Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission: Video Relay Service Review(March 11- May 9, 2021)
• 2021-132 – Call for comments – Imposition of an administrative monetary penalty on Bell Canada in relation to the processing and granting of access permit applications for support structures in accordance with its National Services Tariff – Public record: 1011-NOC2021-0132 (May 17, 2021)
• Canadian Heritage: Consultation on a Modern Copyright Framework for Online Intermediaries (May 31, 2021)
• Access to Information Review Public Engagement: Reviewing access to information – https://atiareview.ca (March 31, 2021-July 31, 2021)