Weekly Newsletter for October 31, 2023

Weekly News (October 31, 2023)

Compiled by Ian Steinberg with Sara Bannerman

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(October 25 – 31, 2023)

Canadian News 

• [ONLINE NEWS ACT] Broadcasters ask government to make Apple pay news outlets under Online News Act (National Post)
• [ONLINE STREAMING ACT] Ottawa tells CRTC not to regulate people’s podcasts under Bill C-11 (Globe and Mail)
• [ONLINE STREAMING ACT] Bell asked feds for laws to ensure access to U.S. TV content(Vancouver Sun)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/ETHI] MPs want big tech held responsible for misinformation spread online by foreign actors (Toronto Star)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Ottawa bans China’s WeChat, Russian-made app suite from government devices (Global News)
• [CYBERSECURITY] Toronto Public Library cybersecurity attack part of a troubling trend(Toronto Star)
• [NATIONAL SECURITY] Secret files reveal CSIS warnings over foreign interference(Toronto Star)

International News

• [AI GOVERNANCE] UN chief appoints 39-member panel to advise on international governance of artificial intelligence (AP)
• [AI GOVERNANCE] Exclusive: G7 to agree AI code of conduct for companies (Reuters)
• [AI SAFETY] UK to set up world’s first AI safety institute, Sunak says (Reuters)
• [AI SAFETY] Cutting-edge AI raises fears about risks to humanity. Are tech and political leaders doing enough? (AP)
• [AI REGULATION] Artificial intelligence: Biden signs sweeping executive order addressing AI (Globe and Mail)
• [AI DISINFORMATION] A.I. Muddies Israel-Hamas War in Unexpected Way (New York Times)
• [AI REGULATION] The Global Race to Regulate Artificial Intelligence Is Heating Up(New York Times)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] US Supreme Court to decide if public officials can block critics on social media (Reuters)
• [TELECOM] How internet disruptions caused problems in Gaza over the weekend(Washington Post)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] European bans on pro-Palestinian protests prompt claims of bias (Washington Post)
• [PRIVACY] Police love Google’s surveillance data. Here’s how to protect yourself. (Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] In Europe, Meta Offers Ad-Free Versions of Facebook and Instagram for First Time (New York Times)
• [ANTITRUST] Google leadership fears irrelevancy (Hamilton Spectator)
• [HATE SPEECH] Online antisemitic threats unnerve Jewish students and spark condemnation at Cornell University (AP)
• [CENSORSHIP] Amy Schumer’s memoir, ‘The Art of War’ and many other books are banned in US prisons. Here’s why (AP/CTV)
• [AI SAFETY] AI researchers uncover ethical and legal risks of using popular data sets(Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE/CONTENT MODERATION] TikTok, Snapchat and others sign pledge to tackle AI-generated child sex abuse images (Reuters)
• [CENSORSHIP] Publisher Scholastic Backtracks on Isolating Works on Race and Gender(New York Times)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Twitter takeover: 1 year later, X struggles with misinformation, advertising and usage decline (AP)
• [AI/WORK] How Automation Has Changed Work for Casino Employees in Detroit (New York TImes)

(October 25 – 31, 2023)

Supreme Court of the United States

 MURTHY v. MISSOURI No. 23A243 decided date: October 20, 2023

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission 

• CRTC issues penalty after thorough phishing investigation 
• Broadcasting and Telecoms:
  • Telecom order 2023-350
    [2023-10-26 11:00:00]
    Determination of costs award with respect to the participation of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre in the proceeding that led to Telecom Decision 2023-349 – File numbers: 8690-C304-202208529 and 4754-707 
  • Telecom decision 2023-349
    [2023-10-26 11:00:00]
    Community Fibre Company Inc. – Application for consent to place a new pole, strand, and anchors in Franktown, Ontario, part of Beckwith Township – Public record: 8690-C304-202208529 
  • Telecom order 2023-348
    [2023-10-24 11:00:00]
    Northwestel Inc. – Introduction of Connecting Families Internet Packages – Public record: Tariff Notice 1186 
  • Broadcasting regulatory policy 2023-347
    [2023-10-24 11:00:00]
    Amendments to the Television Broadcasting Regulations, 1987 and the Discretionary Services Regulations
• Policy announcements:
  • 2023-347 – Amendments to the Television Broadcasting Regulations, 1987 and the Discretionary Services Regulations

Department of Justice Canada

• Reforms giving victims a greater voice in our justice system and that strengthen the National Sex Offender Registry are now law

Global Affairs Canada

• Statement on International Religious Freedom Day

House of Commons

• Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics publishes report on foreign interference and threats to the integrity of democratic institutions, intellectual property and the Canadian state

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• Privacy Commissioner highlights importance of protecting children’s privacy in appearance before Parliament
• Commissioner to appear before Parliamentary committee to discuss annual report on privacy and study on social media platforms and foreign entities
• Privacy Tech-Know blog: Computing while blindfolded — Lifting the veil on homomorphic encryption
• Appearance before the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics on the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada’s 2022-23 Annual Report to Parliament
• Appearance before the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics on its study of the Use of Social Media Platforms for Data Harvesting and Unethical or Illicit Sharing of Personal Information with Foreign Entities

Writers Guild of Canada

• WGC Releases New Report on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

United Nations

• UN Secretary-General launches AI Advisory Body on risks, opportunities, and international governance of artificial intelligence

Amazon

• The latest actions to protect customers from impersonation scams: Amazon files lawsuit against publishing scammers to help protect authors
• Amazon.com Announces Third Quarter Results

Google

• Acting on our commitment to safe and secure AI
• Anthropic, Google, Microsoft and OpenAI announce Executive Director of the Frontier Model Forum and over $10 million for a new AI Safety Fund 

Meta

• Expanding Meta Verified to Businesses in Canada
• Facebook and Instagram to Offer Subscription for No Ads in Europe

Microsoft

•  Progress with our AI commitments: an update ahead of the UK AI Safety Summit

OpenAI

• Frontier risk and preparedness
• Frontier Model Forum updates 

X

• One year in, the future of X is bright
• X’s community-led approach: tackling inaccurate & misleading information

Supreme Court of Canada  

• Scheduled Hearing: 2023-12-12 to 2023-12-13 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, et al. v. His Majesty the King, et al. (Quebec) (Criminal) (By Leave) 40371

Senate of Canada

• The Senate sitting and possible sitting days: October 31 to November 3 , 2023

House of Commons

• The House of Commons sitting and possible sitting days:  October 30 to November 3, 2023
  • [INDU] Bill C-27, Digital Charter Implementation Act, 2022, October 31, 2023 3:30 to 5:30 pm
  • [INDU] Bill C-27, Digital Charter Implementation Act, 2022, November 2,, 2023 3:30 to 5:30 pm

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• Anticipated releases for the week of October 30 to November 3, 2023: 
  • Broadcasting Decisions:
    • Applications by various licensees to renew the broadcasting licences for television stations 
  • Telecom Decision:
    • CISC Business Process Working Group Report BPRE099B – Updated Master Agreement for Local Interconnection Public record: 8621-C12-01/08
• Upcoming Hearings
  • November 20, 2023 – Gatineau, Quebec

To consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2023-138,  2023-138-1

o    We are examining what contributions traditional broadcasters and online services need to make to support Canadian and Indigenous content.

Public hearing: November 20 to December 8, 2023.

Read the agenda

View hearing documents (2023-138)

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings

• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

Consultations:

CRTC

·         Telecom

o    Telecom notice of consultation 2022-147-3: Call for comments – Telecommunications in the Far North, Phase II – Changes to procedure – Public records: 8622-S93-202008482, 1011-NOC2020-0367 and 1011-NOC2022-0147 

·         Upcoming hearings

o    The Path Forward  – November 20, 2023

o    Others

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

·         Consultation on Copyright in the Age of Generative Artificial Intelligence –December 4, 2023

·         Consultation on Amending CPC-2-0-20 — Radio Frequency (RF) Fields—Signs and Access Control – January 4, 2024

Statistics Canada:

·         Census Data on Demand (CDOD) program consultative engagement – March 31, 2024

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

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