Weekly News (April 25, 2023)

Compiled by Brad McNeil with Sara Bannerman

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(April 18 – April 24, 2023)

Canadian News 

• [ONLINE STREAMING ACT/BROADCAST REGULATION] A controversial bill that critics say could change your online streaming searches is about to pass. Here’s what you need to know (Toronto Star) 
• [ONLINE STREAMING ACT/BROADCAST REGULATION] Government to curb final Senate debate on C-11 to speed its passage into law (The Globe and Mail) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/COMPETITION] How Canada is trying to rein in Big Tech as data becomes more powerful (Toronto Star) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/DATA PRIVACY] ‘Our data has never been stored in China,’ TikTok CEO tells TED Talks (The Globe and Mail) 
• [CRYPTOCURRENCY REGULATION] Canada’s Tightened Crypto Rules Push Firms to Comply or Leave (Bloomberg Tax) 
• [PRIVACY] Some Canadian Tire stores in B.C. used facial recognition technology to track customers, privacy watchdog says (The Globe and Mail) 
• [ACCESS TO INFORMATION] Liberal minister promises plan on Access to Information as MPs highlight woes (The Globe and Mail) 
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS] ‘Incredibly concerning’: Rogers’ hiring of former Liberal industry minister slammed by opposition  (National Post) 
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Twitter slammed by LGBTQ rights groups after quietly removing line in hate speech policy that protected transgender users (Toronto Star) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] Canadian AI experts issue letter in support of draft law aimed at curbing technology’s risks (The Globe and Mail) 
• [ONLINE NEWS ACT/PLATFORM REGULATION] Google denies it engaged in ‘astroturfing’ to lobby Ottawa through third parties (The Globe and Mail)  
• [PUBLIC BROADCASTING] Is CBC at a crossroads? Or are Twitter spat and Poilievre barbs just more of the same? (Toronto Star) 
• [PUBLIC BROADCASTING/PLATFORM REGULATION] OPINION: Brodie Fenlon: I run CBC News. Elon Musk’s Twitter changes had to be called out (National Post) 
• [PUBLIC BROADCASTING/PLATFORM REGULATION] OPINION: Robert W. Gehl: Why the CBC should quit Twitter and run its own Mastodon server (Toronto Star) 
• [PUBLIC BROADCASTING] OPINION: Konrad Yakabuski: Pierre Poilievre is walking a tightrope by decrying the CBC, but defending Radio-Canada (The Globe and Mail) 
• [PUBLIC BROADCASTING] OPINION: Tasha Kheiriddin: Woke CBC dividing Canadians on the public dime  (National Post) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] OPINION: Daniel Tsai:  Deep faked Drake proves by the time regulators catch up with AI, it may be too late (Toronto Star) 

International News

• [PLATFORM REGULATION] YouTube case at Supreme Court could shape protections for ChatGPT and AI (Reuters) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/CENSORSHIP] Chinese Chatbots Must Toe Party Line (New York Times) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION / EU DIGITAL SERVICES ACT] TikTok, Twitter, Meta Face Countdown to Comply With West’s Toughest Content Law (Wall Street Journal) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Incoming Senate bill would set age limit for kids on social media ; The measure, led by Sens. Schatz and Cotton, would also set limits on algorithmic use. (Washington Post) 
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Oversight board urges Meta to keep covid-19 rules in place, for now ; But they are urging the company to revisit its list of restricted claims. (Washington Post] 
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS] The U.S.’s $42.5 Billion High-Speed Internet Plan Hits a Snag: A Worker Shortage (Wall Street Journal) 
• [DEFAMATION] Tucker Carlson is out at Fox News after Dominion lawsuit disclosures (Washington Post) 
• [DEFAMATION] How Dominion’s Owner Turned a $38 Million Investment Into a Windfall Settlement With Fox News (Wall Street Journal) 
• [DEFAMATION] After Fox Settlement, Assault on Media Protections Is Likely to Continue (New York Times) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/COPYRIGHT] AI companies ask U.S. court to dismiss artists’ copyright lawsuit (Reuters) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] Republicans counter Biden announcement with dystopian, AI-aided video (Washington Post) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/MISINFORMATION] Indian court orders YouTube to remove fake news on Bachchan grandchild (Reuters) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] Google’s AI dilemma: Move fast or prioritize caution? (Washington Post) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] Americans Wary of Big Brother AI Watching in the Workplace (Wall Street Journal) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/COMPETITION] Reddit Wants to Get Paid for Helping to Teach Big A.I. Systems (New York Times) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] U.S. targets Iranian officials for rights violations, censorship  (Reuters) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/CENSORSHIP] Florida bans teaching about gender identity in all public schools  (Washington Post) 

• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/CENSORSHIP] Book Bans Rising Rapidly in the U.S., Free Speech Groups Find (New York Times) 

(April 18 – April 24, 2023)

Supreme Court of Canada

• Appeal Heard
  • [FREEDOM OF INFORMATION] Attorney General for Ontario v. Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, et al. (Ont.) (Civil) (By Leave) (40078) 

Senate of Canada 

• The Online Streaming Act in the Senate  

CRTC

• Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2023-114: Renaming of BBC World News as BBC News on the List of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution 

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• Governments of Canada, France create new joint committee on science, technology and research

Senate of Canada

• Planned and Possible Sitting Days: The Senate will sit from April 25 to April 27, 2023, with a possible sitting day on April 28, 2023.
  • Committee Meetings:
    • Transport and Communications (TRCM): April 25 2023 at 9:00 am – Topic:  Bill C-18, An Act respecting online communications platforms that make news content available to persons in Canada
    •  Transport and Communications (TRCM): April 26, 2023 at 6:45 pm – – Top Bill C-18, An Act respecting online communications platforms that make news content available to persons in Canada
  • Bills on the Agenda:
    • Bill C-11: An Act to amend the Broadcasting Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts: at consideration in the Senate of amendments made by the House of Commons

House of Commons

• Planned and Possible Sitting Days: The House of Commons will sit from April 25 to 28, 2023, and also on May 1, 2023.
  • Committee Meetings:
    • Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (ETHI): April 25, 2023 at 3:30p pm – topic: Access to Information and Privacy System   ‘
  • Projected Order of Business: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2023, Deferred Recorded Divisions- Mr. Mazier (Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa) — An Act to amend the Telecommunications Act (transparent and accurate broadband services information) — Third reading 

CRTC

Open Proceedings

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

Public Consultations:

• CRTC
  • Open:Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2023-39 – Call for comments – Development of a regulatory framework to improve network reliability and resiliency – Mandatory notification and reporting about major telecommunications service outages  
  • Open: Share your comments on the review of the Broadband fund (start date March 23, 2023 to July 21, 2023) 
• Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
  • Open:Strategic Intellectual Property Program Review (November 15, 2022 to April 30, 2023) 
  • Planned: Consultation on CIPO’s 2023-2024 client service standards (March 1, 2023 to March 31, 2023) 
• Statistics Canada 
  • Open:Visible minority concept consultative engagement (October 11, 2022 to June 30, 2023) 
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada 
  • Planned: Request for Proposal for Facial Recognition Software Service Contract (Maintenance)

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

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