Weekly Newsletter for June 13, 2023

Weekly News (June 13, 2023)

Compiled by Brad McNeil with Sara Bannerman

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(June 7  – June 12, 2023)

Canadian News 

• [BROADCAST REGULATION] CRTC erred in its decision on Radio-Canada N-word broadcast, court finds (CBC News)
• [ONLINE NEWS BILL] Minister challenges senators to stand up to tech giants on bill C-18, as PM accuses them of ‘bullying tactics’ (The Globe and Mail) 
• [ONLINE NEWS BILL] Trudeau shows no interest in compromising with Meta, Google over online news bill (CBC) 
• [ONLINE STREAMING BILL] Minister gives CRTC direction on the manipulation of algorithms (Globe and Mail) 
• [ONLINE STREAMING BILL] Liberals to direct CRTC to keep hands off social media with streaming regulation  (National Post)  
• [ACCESS TO INFORMATION] Opposition MPs call on government to fix broken access to information system (Globe and Mail) 
• [ACCESS TO INFORMATION] Alberta’s refusal to share FOI data highlights gaps in access to information (Globe and Mail) 
• [PRIVACY] Cybergang behind N.S. breach says it erased stolen data, but experts urge caution (CBC) 
• [PRIVACY] Privacy commissioner urges ‘guardrails’ on using forensic genealogy to catch criminals (The Globe and Mail) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGULATION/LABOUR] Unions aim to protect workers from AI – but struggle to keep up (The Globe and Mail) 
•  [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/SURVEILLANCE] AI security is coming to Pearson this summer (Toronto Star) 
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS] Rogers pitches framework to enter arbitration if no deal is made to access Toronto subway system (The Globe and Mail) 
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS] Rogers’ proposed TTC framework commits to consultations, but short on details (Toronto Star)
• [ONLINE NEWS BILL] OPINION: Chris Pedigo: Why Canada needs the Online News Act (The Record) 
• (ONLINE NEWS BILL) OPINION: Sylvain Poisson and Benoit Chartier:Time to stand up to web giants and save local news  (National Post) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGULATION] OPINION: Jordan Richard Schoenherr:  Governments and industry must balance ethical concerns in the race for AI dominance  (The Conversation) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] OPINION: Steve de Eyre: Banning TikTok adds to spreading of misinformation (Toronto Star) 
• [HATE SPEECH] OPINION: Laura Elliott: Educators facing unacceptable threats for supporting LGBTQ students, staff (Toronto Star) 
• [HARMFUL CONTENT/ADVERTISEMENTS] OPINION: Fred Youngs: Sports betting ads targeting kids (Hamilton Spectator) 

International News

• [PRIVACY/SURVEILLANCE]U.S. Spy Agencies Buy Vast Quantities of Americans’ Personal Data, U.S. Says (Wall Street Journal)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGULATION] UN chief backs idea of global AI watchdog like nuclear agency (Reuters)  
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGULATION] U.S. Congress to consider two new bills on artificial intelligence (Reuters) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGULATION] The Senate is dialing up its AI work — but taking its time ; Lawmakers are lining up hearings and briefings, but legislation may not be imminent. (Washington Post) 
• [DATA PRIVACY] Denmark looks to curb collection of data on children by Big Tech (Reuters)
• [PRIVACY/SURVEILLANCE] Inside the debate over Section 702 (Washington Post) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/HARMFUL CONTENT] FBI says artificial intelligence being used for ‘sextortion’ and harassment (Reuters)
• [PRIVACY/FACE RECOGNITION] Campaigners urge London food banks to end use of face scans  (The Guardian) 
• [DEFAMATION/FREE SPEECH] In Thailand, Defamation Lawsuits Can Make Free Speech Costly for Critics (New York Times) 
• [FREE SPEECH] Veteran Russian rights campaigner Orlov goes on trial for discrediting army (Reuters) 
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE/CONTENT MODERATION] Reddit Communities Go Dark in Protest Against CEO and Developer Fees (Wall Street Journal) 
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE/ACCESS] American Tech Giants Are Slowly Cutting Off Hong Kong Internet Users (Wall Street Journal) 
• [HARMFUL SPEECH/PLATFORM REGULATION] Trump charges will test social media rules on violent rhetoric (Washington Post)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGULATION] California Democrat readies House legislation to prevent ‘abuse’ of AI tools  (Washington Post)  
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGULATION] OpenAI CEO Calls for Collaboration With China to Counter AI Risks (Wall Street Journal) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGULATION/[HARMFUL SPEECH] Wellness Chatbot Is Taken Offline After Distributing ‘Problematic’ Eating Advice  (New York Times)  
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] Silicon Valley Confronts the Idea That the ‘Singularity’ Is Here (New York Times) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/BIAS] What Happens When A.I. Enters the Concert Hall (New York Times)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/MISINFORMATION] Viral Pentagon explosion hoax took off from pro-Russian accounts  (Washington Post) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/MISINFORMATION] DeSantis ushers in our fake-images-in-politics nightmare ; The DeSantis campaign used what appear to be AI-generated images of Donald Trump and Anthony Fauci hugging. And it’s unapologetic about crossing a line. (Washington Post) 
• [CYBERSECURITY] What to know about Beijing’s alleged Cuba spy station (Washington Post) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGULATION] Lawyer Who Used ChatGPT Faces Penalty for Made Up Citations (New York Times) 
• [CYBERSECURITY/PRIVACY] Illinois among victims of ransomware attack State IT agency says systems hit by syndicate in May (Chicago Tribune) 
• [ONLINE ADVERTISEMENTS] Twitter’s U.S. Ad Sales Plunge 59% as Woes Continue (New York Times) 
• [COPYRIGHT] Marvel settles with four artists in superhero copyright fight (Reuters) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGULATION] OPINION: Jacinda Ardern: Here’s a model for governing AI (Washington Post) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGULATION] OPINION: Robert Wright: AI has become dangerous. So it should be central to foreign policy.  (Washington Post) 
• [COPYRIGHT/FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] OPINION: Richard Meyer: The Supreme Court Is Wrong About Andy Warhol  (New York Times) 
• [CENSORSHIP/PLATFORM REGULATION] OPINION: Philip Hamburger: How the Government Justifies Its Social-Media Censorship (Wall Street Journal) 
• [PRIVACY] OPINION: Julia Angwin: One of the Last Bastions of Digital Privacy Is Under Threat (New York TImes)

(June 7  – June 12, 2023)

Supreme Court of Canada 

• [ACCESS TO INFORMATION] Albert Bellemare c. Barreau du Québec – et – Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec (Qc) (Civile) (Autorisation) (40461): The application for leave to appeal from the judgment of the Court of Appeal of Quebec (Montréal), Number 500-09-029939-220, 2022 QCCA 1255, dated September 20, 2022, is dismissed.

Federal Court of Appeal  

• [BROADCAST REGULATION] Société Radio-Canada v. Canada (Attorney General) 

Competition Bureau Canada

• Canadian Digital Regulators Forum established to better serve Canadians in the digital era

Democratic Institutions

• Canadian Digital Regulators Forum established to better serve Canadians in the digital era  

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• Governments of Canada and British Columbia invest over $3 million to bring high-speed Internet to more than 800 households
• Government of Canada invests in responsible artificial intelligence research at the Université de Montréal   

Canadian Heritage 

• Canada elected to the Intergovernmental Committee of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions 
• Government of Canada outlines proposed directions for the Online Streaming Act to set the stage for equitable, flexible and adaptable regulation

Information Commissioner of Canada

• 2022-23 Annual Report: On the eve of the 40th anniversary of the Access to Information Act, chronic issues continue to plague the system 

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission 

• Vicky Eatrides to the Banff World Media Festival 
• Nirmala Naidoo to the Annual Conference of the National Campus and Community Radio Association
• Claire Anderson to the Indigenous Connectivity Summit 2023  

• Releases
  • Broadcasting notice of consultation 2023-138-1
    [2023-06-09 14:00:00]
    Notice of hearing – 20 November 2023 – Gatineau, Quebec – The Path Forward – Working towards a modernized regulatory framework regarding contributions to support Canadian and Indigenous content – Extension to the deadlines for the submission of interventions and of replies
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-177
    [2023-06-08 11:00:00]
    Total Change Christian Ministries – Campbell River, British Columbia – Application to change the authorized contours of the low-power, English-language commercial specialty (Religious music) radio station CHVI-FM Campbell River
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-176
    [2023-06-08 11:00:00]
    Radio Markham York Incorporated – Markham, Ontario – Application to operate an FM transmitter in Pickering, Ontario, to rebroadcast the programming of the English-language commercial radio station CFMS-FM Markham
  • Telecom order 2023-175
    [2023-06-07 11:00:00]
    Broadband Fund – Acceptance of statement of work for We’koqma’q First Nation and Seaside Communications Inc.’s access project in Nova Scotia – Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0372
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-174
    [2023-06-07 11:00:00]
    Bethany Pentecostal Tabernacle – Whitehorse, Yukon – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the low-power, English-language specialty (Religious music) radio station CIAY-FM Whitehorse
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-173
    [2023-06-07 11:00:00]
    Wilderness Ministries Inc. – Nipawin, Saskatchewan – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the English-language commercial specialty (Religious music) radio station CIOT-FM Nipawin
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-172
    [2023-06-07 11:00:00]
    United Christian Broadcasters Media Canada – Various locations in Ontario – Applications to renew the broadcasting licences for the English-language commercial specialty (Religious music) radio stations listed in the decision
  • Telecom order 2023-171
    [2023-06-07 11:00:00]
    Amendments to wholesale roaming service tariffs to reflect Commission determinations regarding seamless roaming and 5G networks – Public records: Bell Mobility Tariff Notices 5A and 5B; RCCI Tariff Notices 72A and 72B; and TCI Tariff Notice 564
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-170
    [2023-06-02 11:00:00]
    Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta – Calgary and Medicine Hat, Alberta – Application to amend the broadcasting licence for the Indigenous (Type B Native) radio station CJWE-FM Calgary in order to operate a new transmitter
  • Telecom decision 2023-169
    [2023-06-02 11:00:00]
    Review of the wholesale high-speed access service framework – Reduction of traffic-sensitive costs – Public record: 1011-NOC2023-0056
  • Broadcasting notice of consultation 2023-129-1
    [2023-06-01 11:00:00]
    Notice of hearing – 6 July 2023 – National Capital Region – Additional documents added to the public record for item 4
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-168
    [2023-06-01 11:00:00]
    Canadian Broadcasting Corporation – Trois-Rivières and Clova, Quebec – Application to amend the broadcasting licence for the French-language radio station CBF-FM-8 Trois-Rivières
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-167
    [2023-06-01 11:00:00]
    Bell Media Inc. – Various locations in British Columbia and Quebec – Applications to renew the broadcasting licences for the commercial radio stations listed in the decision
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-166
    [2023-06-01 11:00:00]
    Bell Media Regional Radio Partnership – Various locations in British Columbia, Ontario and Nova Scotia – Applications to renew the broadcasting licences for the English-language commercial radio stations listed in the decision
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-165
    [2023-06-01 11:00:00]
    Bell Media Radio Atlantic Inc. – Various locations in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia – Applications to renew the broadcasting licences for the English-language commercial radio stations listed in the decision

Amazon 

• A blueprint for private and public sector partnership to stop fake reviews 

Senate of Canada

• Planned and Possible Sitting Days: The Senate will sit from June 13 to June 15, 2023, with possible sitting days on June 16 and 19, 2023.
  • Bills on the agenda: Bill C-288 – An Act to amend the Telecommunications Act (transparent and accurate broadband services information) (at second reading in the Senate 
  • Meetings
    • Transport and Communications: Bill C-18, An Act respecting online communications platforms that make news content available to persons in Canada: June 13, 2023 at 9:00 AM ET  

House of Commons

• Planned and Possible Sitting Days: The House of Commons will sit from June 13 to 16, 2023 with a possible extension of sitting hours. The House will also sit on June 19, 2023 with a possible extension of sitting hours.
  • Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (ETHI): Foreign Interference: June 13, 2023, 3:30 – 5:30 pm (EDT)  

CRTC

• Anticipated Releases for the week of June 12 to 16, 2023: The CRTC plans to issue the following decisions and/or regulatory policies in the week of 12 to 16 June 2023. This is subject to change without notice.  
  • Broadcasting Decisions: 
    • Applications by various licensees to renew the broadcasting licences for various radio stations
    • MusiquePlus inc.  Across Canada  ELLE Fictions and MAX – Administrative renewals

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: Contributions to the Canadian Broadcasting System  (Deadline: July 11, 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

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

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