Newsletter: October 26, 2021

Weekly News (October 26th, 2021)

Compiled by Boxi Chen, Fizza Kulvi, Meaghan Wester, and Nick Gertler with Sara Bannerman, Fenwick McKelvey, Guillaume Dandurand, Marek Blottière, and Kevin Morin
McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(October 19-25, 2021)

Canadian News

·         [PRIVACY] Privacy Commissioner not consulted over controversial online harms bill (National Post)

·         [PLATFORM REGULATION] Impact of online harms bill includes ‘spectre of censorship,’ library group warns in submission (National Post)

·         [PLATFORM REGULATION/COMPETITION] Géants du web: le chien de garde de la concurrence manque de dents (Le Journal de Montréal)

·         [PLATFORM REGULATION/COMPETITION] Federal Court orders Google to turn over documents for Competition Bureau investigation (Financial Post)

·         [PRIVACY] Canada’s privacy czar probing complaints about federal public service vaccination requirement (CBC News)

·         [FREEDOM OF INFORMATION] Canada slips to 55th place in global freedom-of-information law rankings (National Post)

·         [MEDIA OWNERSHIP] ‘A huge concentration of power’: Duelling boards seen as symptom of unusual Rogers power structure (Financial Post)

·         [FREEDOM OF INFORMATION] Changes to freedom-of-information legislation will weaken B.C.’s democratic infrastructure, says Privacy Commissioner (Globe&Mail)

·         [FREEDOM OF INFORMATION] B.C. premier defends application fee for freedom of information requests (Global News)

·         [PRIVACY] Ontario set to introduce omnibus labour legislation, including right to disconnect (National Post)

·         [PUBLICATION BAN/PRIVACY] This Canadian mom has spoken out about her daughter’s death for years. A new publication ban means the story can no longer be shared (Toronto Star)

·         [PRIVACY] After saying Tories ‘will respect’ decision on vaccine mandate for MPs, O’Toole now says it ‘infringes’ on their rights (National Post)

·         [PRIVACY]  Doug Ford slams former PC MPP for ‘disgusting’ false claims about COVID-19 vaccinations (Toronto Star)

·         [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Hamilton students show the power of advocacy in dress code controversy (Hamilton Spectator)

·         [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] New Toronto company can alert firms to unintended consequences in their AI (Toronto Star)

·         [PLATFORM REGULATION] OPINION: Stevens: To protect our privacy and free speech, Canada needs to overhaul its approach to regulating online harms (Conversation)

International News

·         [PLATFORM REGULATION] UK agrees to end tax on US tech giants when global deal takes effect (Guardian)

·         [CENSORSHIP] Russia Strengthens Its Internet Censorship Powers  (New York Times)

·         [TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY] Senators urge FCC to address surveillance threats to US telecom networks (Reuters)

·         [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE/FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Chapelle special spurs Netflix walkout; ‘Trans lives matter’ (AP News)

·         [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Facebook’s oversight board seeks more transparency on high-profile users (National Post)

·         [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] France hails victory as Facebook agrees to pay newspapers for content (Guardian)

·         [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Google said it had successfully ‘slowed down’ European privacy rules, according to lawsuit. (New York Times)

·         [PLATFORM REGULATION/HATE SPEECH] Facebook’s language gaps weaken screening of hate, terrorism (AP News)

·         [PLATFORM REGULATION/HATE SPEECH] People or profit? Facebook papers show deep conflict within (AP News)

·         [PLATFORM REGULATION/PRIVACY] Australia wants Facebook to seek parental consent for kids (AP News)

·         [PLATFORM REGULATION/PRIVACY] Facebook dithered in curbing divisive user content in India (AP News)

·         [CENSORSHIP] ‘It spreads like a disease’: how pro-eating-disorder videos reach teens on TikTok  (Guardian)

·         [PLATFORM REGULATION/HATE SPEECH] Amid the Capitol riot, Facebook faced its own insurrection  (AP News)

·         [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE/HATE SPEECH] Facebook says it’s stopping hate and violence against Black Americans. Its own research shows otherwise (USA Today)

·         [PRIVACY] Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg added to D.C. privacy lawsuit (Washington Post)

·         [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Facebook ad revenue seen feeling brunt of Apple privacy changes (Reuters)

·         [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Apple’s Privacy Change Will Hit Facebook’s Core Ad Business. Here’s How (Wall Street Journal)

·         [PRIVACY] OPINION: Klobuchar: Congress Is Losing Patience With Big-Tech Resistance, Klobuchar Says (Wall Street Journal)

(October 19-25, 2021)

Competition Bureau

• Competition Bureau obtains court order to advance an investigation of Google

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• Affordable high-speed Internet for low-income seniors and families

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada:

• Statement on the Government of Canada’s vaccine passport for travel initiative

Google:

• Our Content Removal Transparency Report for January to June 2021

YouTube:

• Our responsibility approach to protecting kids and families on YouTube

Microsoft:

• New activity from Russian actor Nobelium

Twitter:

• Examining algorithmic amplification of political content on Twitter

Amazon:

• Amazon Brings Alexa to Senior Living Communities and Healthcare Systems with Alexa Smart Properties

CRTC:

News Releases:

• Telecom order 2021-348
  [2021-10-22 11:00:00]
  Broadband Fund Payment Order – Approval of Claim Form – October 2021
• Telecom order 2021-347
  [2021-10-22 11:00:00]
  Broadband Fund – Acceptance of statement of work for Columbia Basin Broadband Corporation’s British Columbia (Highway 95/95A corridor) transport fibre project – Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0372
• Telecom order 2021-346
  [2021-10-22 11:00:00]
  Broadband Fund – Acceptance of statement of work for Cogeco Connexion Inc.’s Ontario (Algonquin) transport fibre project – Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0372
• Telecom order 2021-345
  [2021-10-22 11:00:00]
  Broadband Fund – Acceptance of statement of work for Cogeco Connexion Inc.’s Ontario (Florence) transport fibre project – Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0372
• Broadcasting notice of consultation 2021-281-1
  [2021-10-22 11:00:00]
  Notice of hearing – 22 November 2021 – Gatineau, Quebec – Additional information added to the public file – New deadline for submission of undertakings: 29 November 2021 – New deadline for submission of final written submissions from interveners: 13 December 2021 – New deadline for final written reply by applicant: 20 December 2021
• Broadcasting decision 2021-344
  [2021-10-22 11:00:00]
  TELUS Communications Inc. – Various locations in British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec – Application to amend the three regional broadcasting licences for the terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertakings serving various locations in British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec, respectively
• Telecom order 2021-343
  [2021-10-21 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff applications: Northwestel Inc. TN 1138 and TN 1138A
• Telecom order 2021-342
  [2021-10-21 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on an interim basis the following tariff applications: Bell Aliant, a division of Bell Canada, TN 554; Bell Canada, TN 7637; Bell MTS, a division of Bell Canada, TN 841; NorthernTel, Limited Partnership, TN 411 and Télébec, Société en commandite, TN 522

Supreme Court of Canada:

• Judgment to be Rendered in Appeal:

[FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Mike Ward v. Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse (Que.) (Civil) (By Leave) (39041) The Supreme Court of Canada announced today that judgment in the following appeal will be delivered at 9:45 a.m. EDT on Friday, October 29, 2021. This list is subject to change.

• Judgment to be Rendered in Leave Application:

[PRIVACY] Robert Cannon v. Court of Queen’s Bench for Saskatchewan, et al. (Sask.) (Civil) (By Leave) (39759) The Supreme Court of Canada announced today that judgment in the following leave application will be delivered at 9:45 a.m. EDT on Thursday, October 28, 2021. This list is subject to change.

Senate of Canada

• Planned & Possible sitting days this week: No sitting days this week

Canadian House of Commons

• Planned & Possible sitting days this week: No sitting days this week.  Parliament is scheduled to open on Monday, November 22, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. ET.

CRTC

Open Proceedings

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

Anticipated releases for the week of October 13-18, 2021

• The CRTC is not planning on issuing any decisions, regulatory policies and reports in the week of 25 to 29 October 2021. This is subject to change without notice.

Upcoming hearings

• Broadcasting notice of consultation 2021-281-1
  [2021-10-22 11:00:00]
  Notice of hearing – 22 November 2021 – Gatineau, Quebec – Additional information added to the public file – New deadline for submission of undertakings: 29 November 2021 – New deadline for submission of final written submissions from interveners: 13 December 2021 – New deadline for final written reply by applicant: 20 December 2021

Open Public Consultations:

• Consultation on Amending Cellular and Personal Communications Services (PCS) Licence Conditions  (reply comments due November 8, 2021)
• Consultation on Updates to the Licensing and Fee Framework for Earth Stations and Space Stations in Canada (reply comments due November 8, 2021)
• Consultation on New Access Licensing Framework, Changes to Subordinate Licensing and White Space to Support Rural and Remote Deployment  (reply comments due November 24, 2021)
• Prescribed electronic format to enable digital access to personal health information (reply comments due December 15, 2021)