Weekly Newsletter May 16, 2023

Weekly News (May 16, 2023)

Compiled by Brad McNeil with Sara Bannerman

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(May 9  – May 15, 2023)

Canadian News 

• [ONLINE STREAMING ACT] Streaming platforms must promote Canadian films globally in English, French and Indigenous languages (Globe and Mail) 
• [ONLINE STREAMING ACT] CRTC accused of parroting minister’s talking points on myths around Bill C-11  (Globe and Mail) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/ONLINE NEWS ACT] Facebook executive declines summons from House of Commons committee (National Post)  
• [ONLINE NEWS ACT] Is your access to news on Facebook and Instagram about to be blocked? (Toronto Star) 
• [ONLINE NEWS ACT] What to know about Bill C-18, the proposed law that could affect Canadian news publishers (Globe and Mail) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/PRIVACY] Privacy commissioner appeals Federal Court decision in Facebook case  (Toronto Sun) 
• [PUBLIC BROADCASTING] CBC resumes activity on some of its Twitter accounts after hitting pause over labels (Toronto Star)
• [PRESS FREEDOM] Liberals face backlash over policy to trace journalists’ sources before publication online (Globe and Mail)
• [PRESS FREEDOM] ‘Not on my watch’: Seamus O’Regan rejects Liberals’ disinformation resolution (Toronto Star)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGULATION / Toronto Design Exchange] OpenAI CEO says global regulatory body needed to mitigate potential AI harm (Globe and Mail)  
• [PUBLIC BROADCASTING] CBC says it has no control of gambling ads during hockey broadcasts (Globe and Mail)
• [SURVEILLANCE] ‘Systemic difficulties’ hampered review of Canada’s cyberspy service: watchdog  (National post)  
• [CENSORSHIP] Public Libraries Face Accusations of Promoting Pornography (Niverville Citizen) 
• (Toronto Star) 
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS] Ontario, Bell won’t say how much money they made from inmate phone calls (Toronto Star)
• [COPYRIGHT] Toronto mayoral candidate under fire for campaign TikTok using women’s TTC horror stories (Toronto Star)
• [ONLINE STREAMING ACT] OPINION: Jamie Sarkonak: The CRTC is coming for the internet, just as Trudeau intended (NAtional Post) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/HARMFUL SPEECH] OPINION: Michael Shellenberger: Michael Shellenberger: World on cusp of woke totalitarianism as governments act to end free speech (National Post)  
• [BROADCAST REGULATION] OPINION: Peter Menzies: Should the CRTC ban Fox from Canada’s airwaves? (Globe and Mail)
• [ONLINE NEWS ACT/FREE PRESS] OPINION: Editorial Board: A free press needs the free market (Globe and Mail) 
• [PRESS FREEDOM] OPINION: Andrew Coyne: Why would anyone think the Liberals want to control the media? Oh, I can think of a few reasons… 

International News

• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Lawmakers ‘cowered’ to take on tech giants again, senator says ; Industry lobbying is giving lawmakers cold feet, Sen. Grassley said. (Washington Post) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/PLATFORM REGULATION] AI in Washington’s crosshairs but consensus far from certain (Reuters) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Brazil’s crusading justice Moraes ratchets up fight with global tech giants  (Reuters) 
• [CONTENT MODERATION/PLATFORM REGULATION] US House Republicans raise ‘deep concern’ on TikTok content decisions (Reuters) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Ex-ByteDance Executive Accuses Company of ‘Lawlessness’  (New York Times) 
• [CENSORSHIP] What this Hong Kong radio host and activist wants Canada to know about Beijing (Toronto Star) 
• [DEFAMATION] New Lawsuit Signals Continued Legal Threat to Fox (New York Times) 
• [CYBERSECURITY/PLATFORM REGULATION] Lawmakers tell Biden to act quickly to nominate a national cyber director (Washington Post) 
• [FREEDOM OF THE PRESS] Right-Wing Media Splits From DeSantis on Press Protections (New York Times) 
• [PRIVACY] Prince Harry’s lawyer says British tabloid spied on ‘industrial scale’ (City News Toronto) 
• [CONTENT MODERATION] Raw videos of violent incidents in Texas rekindle debate about graphic images (Washington Post)
• [CYBERSECURITY] Cybersecurity faces a challenge from artificial intelligence’s rise  (Washington Post) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGULATION] The downside of AI: Former Google scientist Timnit Gebru warns of the technology’s built-in biases (Globe and Mail)  
• [CENSORSHIP/CONTENT MODERATION] Elon Musk’s about-face on government censorship (Washington Post) 
• [HARMFUL CONTENT] Social media in Spain spins social distortion Tweets, hate tactics mirror campaigns in US, Brazil, elsewhere  (Washington Post) 
• [PRIVACY] Your DNA Can Now Be Pulled From Thin Air. Privacy Experts Are Worried. (New York Times)
• [PRIVACY/PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Twitter’s new purge shows perils of public record-keeping online ; Taking down inactive accounts could sweep up late and former officials (Washington Post) 
• [PRIVACY/DATA BREACH] Data of 237,000 US government employees breached (Reuters) 
• [HARMFUL CONTENT/PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Why Elon Musk picked Linda Yaccarino to lead Twitter as CEO (Washington Post)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE]  Facebook owner Meta announces tests of generative AI ads tool  (Reuters) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] Italy allocates funds to shield workers from AI replacement threat (Reuters) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/PRIVACY] Rise of AI presents a security challenge (Washington Post) 
• [HARMFUL CONTENT/HATE SPEECH] OPINION: Julia Angwin: Few Are Addressing One of Social Media’s Greatest Perils; Guest Essay (New York Times) 

(May 9  – May 15, 2023)

Supreme Court of Canada 

• The Supreme Court of Canada has today deposited with the Registrar judgments in the following leave applications.
  • Dismissed: [PRIVACY] Glen Carter v. Information and Privacy Commissioner, Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF) and Mustard Seed (the Shelter) (Alta.) (Civil) (By Leave)   (40502) 
  • “The motion for an extension of time to serve and file the application for leave to appeal is granted. The miscellaneous motions are dismissed. The application for leave to appeal from the judgment of the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta, Number 2201 08667, 2022 ABQB 517, dated July 29, 2022 is dismissed.”

Canadian Heritage 

• The Government of Canada invests in artificial intelligence and teaching French as a second language from early childhood 

CRTC

• News Releases:
  • CRTC takes action to ensure Canadians have more choice of cellphone services
  • CRTC launches consultations to modernize broadcasting system 
• Speeches:
  • Claire Anderson at the British Columbia Broadband Association 
  • The Future of Regulation 
  • Vicky Eatrides to the Canadian Chapter of the International Institute of Communications 

• Telecom Order/Decisions
  • Telecom decision 2023-141 [2023-05-15 11:00:00] CISC Canadian Steering Committee on Numbering – Consensus report CNRE136A – Updating of the Canadian NPA Relief Planning Guideline including Appendices B and C – Public record: 8621-C12-01/08

• Telecom order 2023-136 [2023-05-11 11:00:00] Streamlined order – The Commission approves the following tariff application: Rogers Communications Canada Inc., TN 76
• Telecom decision 2023-135
  [2023-05-10 11:00:00]
  Relief for area code complexes 416/437/647 in Toronto, Ontario and 236/250/604/672/778 in British Columbia – Public record: 8621-C12-01/08
• Telecom order 2023-134
  [2023-05-09 09:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves the following tariff application: Télébec, société en commandite, TN 531
• Telecom order 2023-133
  [2023-05-09 09:00:00]
  Wholesale mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) access tariffs – Amended terms and conditions – Public records: 8740-B38-202104686, 8740-R28-202104636, 8740-T66-202104876, and 8740-S22-202104610
• Telecom order 2023-132
  [2023-05-08 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc., TN 1176
• Telecom order 2023-131
  [2023-05-08 11:00:00]
  Télébec, Limited Partnership – Withdrawal of Basic Services Provided Outside the Company’s Serving Area – Public record: Tariff Notice 526
• Telecom order 2023-130
  [2023-05-05 11:00:00]
  Broadband Fund Payment Order – Approval of Claim Forms – April 2023 – Public Records: 1011-NOC2019-0191 and 1011-NOC2019-0372
• Telecom order 2023-128 [2023-05-04 11:00:00] Broadband Fund – Change request – Bell Canada’s access project in Newfoundland and Labrador (Port Blandford) – Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0372
• Telecom order 2023-120 [2023-05-03 11:00:00] Streamlined order – The Commission approves the following tariff applications: TELUS Communications Inc., TN 682 and TN 4411

• Broadcasting Decision
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-142 [2023-05-15 11:00:00] Canadian Broadcasting Corporation – Rimouski, Quebec – Application to change the authorized contours of the radio station CJBR-FM Rimouski
  • Broadcasting information bulletin 2023-137 [2023-05-12 11:00:00] Guidance on the current Broadcasting Act and the transitional provisions of the Online Streaming Act
  • Broadcasting decision 2022-221-1[2023-05-04 11:00:00] Regulatory relief regarding the payment of tangible benefits contributions for the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 broadcast years in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic – Correction – Public record: 2021-0784-6
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-127
    [2023-05-04 11:00:00]
    Ag-Com Productions Ltd. – Regina, Saskatchewan – Application to revoke the broadcasting licence for the English-language Category 2 discretionary service The Rural Channel
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-126
    [2023-05-04 11:00:00]
    Gesgapegiag Community Access Program – Gesgapegiag, Quebec – Application for a broadcasting licence to operate a low-power, Indigenous (Type B Native) FM radio station in Gesgapegiag
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-125
    [2023-05-03 11:00:00]
    Dufferin Communications Inc. – Various locations in Manitoba and Ontario – Applications to renew the broadcasting licences for the English-language commercial radio station set out in the decision
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-124
    [2023-05-03 11:00:00]
    Various licensees – Various locations in Saskatchewan – Applications to renew the broadcasting licences for the English-language commercial radio station set out in the decision
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-123
    [2023-05-03 11:00:00]
    Touch Canada Broadcasting Limited Partnership – Calgary, Alberta – Yorkton Broadcasting Company Limited – Edmonton, Alberta – Application to renew the broadcasting licences for the English-language commercial radio stations CJLI Calgary and CKPW-FM Edmonton
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-122
    [2023-05-03 11:00:00]
    Blackgold Radio Inc. – Ponoka and Stony Plain/Spruce Grove, Alberta – Applications to renew the broadcasting licences for the English-language commercial radio stations CKPA-FM Ponoka and CKSS-FM Stony Plain/Spruce Grove
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-121
    [2023-05-03 11:00:00]
    Bertor Communications Ltd. – Blucher, Saskatchewan – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the English-language commercial specialty (Religious music) radio station CFAQ-FM Blucher
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-119
    [2023-05-02 11:00:00]
    Sound of Faith Broadcasting – Kitchener, Ontario – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the English-language commercial specialty (Religious music) radio station CJTW-FM Kitchener
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-118
    [2023-05-02 11:00:00]
    The JOY FM Network Inc. – Fredericton, New Brunswick – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the English-language commercial specialty (Religious music) radio station CIXN-FM Fredericton
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-117
    [2023-05-02 11:00:00]
    Touch Canada Broadcasting (2006) Inc. (the general partner) and C.R.A. Investments Ltd. (the limited partner), carrying on business as Touch Canada Broadcasting Limited Partnership – Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta – Application to renew the broadcasting licences for the English-language commercial radio stations CJCA Edmonton and CKRD-FM Red Deer
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-116
    [2023-05-02 11:00:00]
    10070394 Canada Inc. – St. Catharines, Ontario – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the English-language commercial radio station CFAJ St. Catharines
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-115
    [2023-05-02 11:00:00]
    Canadian Broadcasting Corporation – Atlin, British Columbia; and Whitehorse, Yukon – Application to change the authorized contours of CBUA-FM Atlin, a rebroadcasting transmitter of CFWH-FM Whitehorse

Information Commissioner of Canada

•  Information Commissioner’s appearance before ETHI Committee  (May 12, 2023) 

Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• OPC’s 15 key recommendations on Bill C-27 
• Commissioner: Privacy reform bill ‘a step in the right direction but can and must go further’
• Privacy Commissioner appeals Federal Court decision related to Facebook investigation  
•  Privacy as a fundamental right in the digital age 
• Commissioner Dufresne delivers remarks at the Venice Privacy Symposium 2023 

Google

• Protecting people’s privacy on health topics 

Meta

• The Metaverse and its Potential for Canada

Supreme Court of Canada

• Appeal heard: [PUBLICATION BAN] La Presse inc. v. Frédérick Silva, et al. (Quebec) (Criminal) (By Leave) (40175)  

Senate of Canada

• Planned and Possible Sitting Days: The Senate will sit from May 16  to May 18, 2023, with possible sitting days on May 19, 2023

House of Commons

• Planned and Possible Sitting Days: The House of Commons will sit from May 16  to May 18, 2023.

CRTC

• Anticipated Releases for the week of May 15 to 18, 2023:  The CRTC is not planning on issuing any decisions, regulatory policies and reports in the week of 15 to 19 May 2023. This is subject to change without notice. 

Open Proceedings

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

Public Consultations:

• CRTC
  • Regulatory Plan to modernize Canada’s broadcasting system
  • Planned: Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2023-138: The Path Forward – Working towards a modernized regulatory framework regarding contributions to support Canadian and Indigenous content: Deadline for submission of interventions: 27 June 2023  
  • Open: Share your comments on the review of the Broadband fund (start date March 23, 2023 to July 21, 2023) 
  • Open: Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2022-325-2:Broadband Fund – Third call for applications – Changes to procedure 

• Statistics Canada 
  • Open:Visible minority concept consultative engagement (October 11, 2022 to June 30, 2023) 

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

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