Weekly Newsletter for December 5, 2023

Weekly News (December 5, 2023)

Compiled by Ian Steinberg with Sara Bannerman

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(November 29 -December 5, 2023)

Canadian News 

• [FREEDOM OF INFORMATION] When public officials withhold or destroy records in Canada, they rarely face consequences (Globe and Mail)
• [PUBLIC BROADCASTING] CBC cutbacks (Toronto Star)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY/PUBLIC BROADCASTING] Heritage minister hints at adjusting funds CBC could get under Google deal (Toronto Star)
• [ONLINE NEWS ACT] Ottawa makes overture to Meta to restart talks (Globe and Mail)
• [ONLINE NEWS ACT] Torstar critical of Liberal online news compensation deal with Google (Toronto Star)
• [ONLINE HARMS ACT] Minister tight-lipped on whether Ottawa looking at new regulator to fight online harm (Globe and Mail)
• [PRIVACY] Tools capable of extracting personal data from phones being used by 13 federal departments, documents show (CBC)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] Streamers should give 2% of revenue for Cancon, Rogers says(Hamilton Spectator)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] Netflix wants CRTC to recognize its existing role (Globe and Mail)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] Mandatory CanCon contribution could prompt investment cuts, Spotify tells CRTC (Bloomberg)
• [AD TAX] Ottawa plans tax reform to drive advertising with Google and Meta back to Canadian media (Globe and Mail)
• [TELECOM REGULATION] Canada’s telecom sector awaiting key regulatory decisions after transformative year (Globe and Mail)
• [PRIVACY] Experts urge Canada to adopt British measures on suicide surveillance (Globe and Mail)
• [TELECOM POLICY/TELEHEALTH] Canada’s new 988 suicide-prevention helpline starts today. Here’s what you need to know (Toronto Star)
• [COMPETITION ACT] Proposed amendments to Competition Act could expose businesses to more enforcement, penalties (Globe and Mail)
• [WORKPLACE AI] As ChatGPT marks one-year anniversary, here’s how Canadian companies are using AI (Toronto Star)
• [SMART CITIES/OPINION] Opinion: Burns: Why Canada’s Smart Cities Challenge is missing the mark (The Conversation)
• [ONLINE STREAMING ACT] Opinion: Mallik: Why the Google media deal is too weak to help rescue journalism (Toronto Star)
• [ONLINE STREAMING ACT] Opinion: Google deal a big step forward (National Post)
• [EDUCATION AI] Opinion: Prousky: Why universities should embrace ChatGPT (Toronto Star)

International News

• [AI REGULATION] Europe’s world-leading artificial intelligence rules are facing a do-or-die moment (AP)
• [AI REGULATION] Generative AI a stumbling block in EU legislation talks (Reuters)
• [AI INVESTMENT] Microsoft’s $3.2 billion UK investment to drive AI growth (Reuters)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Russia Mulls Loyalty Law for Foreigners (Wall Street Journal)
• [DEFAMATION] Indonesia softens internet law after critics complain of misuse (Reuters)
• [DEFAMATION] How a Book Publishing ‘Mistake’ Reignited the U.K.’s Royal Racism Furor(New York Times)
• [AI LAWMAKING] A Brazilian city passed a law about water meters. ChatGPT wrote it (Washington Post)
• [AI/CLIMATE CHANGE] U.N. Climate Summit Embraces A.I., But Not Without Some Reservations (New York Times)
• [HATE SPEECH/CONTENT MODERATION] TikTok’s C.E.O. Uses Personal Touch to Address Antisemitism Concerns (New York Times)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE/SAFETY] Meta Is Struggling to Boot Pedophiles Off Its Platforms (Wall Street Journal)
• [ONLINE JOURNALISM/PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] As X descends into chaos, news outlets turn to Reddit (Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Advertisers Say They Do Not Plan to Return to X After Musk’s Comments (New York TImes)
• [AI INDUSTRY] How Money, Ego and Fear Lit A.I.’s Fuse (New York Times)
• [AI GOVERNANCE] Back at OpenAI, Sam Altman Outlines the Company’s Priorities (New York Times)
• [AI GOVERNANCE] Meta and IBM Launch AI Alliance (Wall Street Journal)
• [AI REGULATION/HEALTH] Medical AI Tools Can Make Dangerous Mistakes. Can the Government Help Prevent Them? (Wall Street Journal)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Federal judge blocks Montana’s first-in-the-nation ban on TikTok, says it’s unconstitutional (AP)
• [AI REGULATION/LOBBYING] AI’s future could be ‘open-source’ or closed. Tech giants are divided as they lobby regulators (AP)
• [CONTENT MODERATION] Gambling, Risky Pranks and Lucrative Contracts: Inside the Streaming Site Kick (New York Times)
• [AI/FAKE NEWS] Sports Illustrated accused of publishing articles written by AI(Guardian) 

(November 29 – December 5, 2023)

Canadian Heritage

• Statement by Minister St-Onge on next steps for the Online News Act

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission 

• Check out our latest snapshot of CASL enforcement activities
• Broadcasting and Telecoms:
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-403
    [2023-12-04 11:00:00]
    United Christian Broadcasters Media Canada – Medicine Hat, Alberta – Application to acquire from Vista Radio Ltd. the assets of the English-language commercial specialty (Religious music) radio station CJLT-FM Medicine Hat 
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-402
    [2023-12-04 11:00:00]
    Dufferin Communications Inc. – Brantford, Ontario – Application to revoke the broadcasting licence for the English-language commercial specialty (Religious music) AM radio station CKPC Brantford 
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-401
    [2023-12-04 11:00:00]
    2251723 Ontario Inc. – Across Canada – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the national, on-demand service VMedia 
  • Telecom order 2023-400
    [2023-12-04 11:00:00]
    Northwestel Inc. – Waiver of Service Charges for returning customers – Public record: Tariff Notice 1185
  • Telecom order 2023-399
    [2023-11-30 11:00:00]
    Broadband Fund Payment Order – Approval of Claim Forms – November 2023 – Public records: 1011-NOC2019-0191 and 1011-NOC2019-0372 
  • Telecom order 2023-398
    [2023-11-30 11:00:00]
    Streamlined order – The Commission approves on an interim basis the following tariff application : Northwestel Inc., TN 1195 
  • Telecom order 2023-397
    [2023-11-30 11:00:00]
    Streamlined order – The Commission approves on an interim basis the following tariff application : TELUS Communications Inc., TN 659 
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-396
    [2023-11-30 11:00:00]
    New Tang Dynasty Television (Canada) – Across Canada – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the discretionary service New Tang Dynasty Television 
  • Telecom order 2023-395
    [2023-11-30 11:00:00]
    Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff applications: Bell Canada, TN 7677; TELUS Communications Inc., TN 685 and TN 4414 
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-394
    [2023-11-30 11:00:00]
    0859291 B.C. Ltd. – Victoria, British Columbia – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the English-language independent conventional commercial television station CHEK-DT Victoria
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-393
    [2023-11-29 11:00:00]
    Knowledge Network Corporation – British Columbia – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the English-language non-commercial educational discretionary service Knowledge 
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-392
    [2023-11-28 11:00:00]
    Rogers Media Inc. – Ottawa, Ontario – Application to revoke the broadcasting licence for the English-language commercial radio station CIWW Ottawa 
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-391
    [2023-11-28 11:00:00]
    Corus Radio Inc. – Calgary, Alberta – Renewal of the broadcasting licences for the English-language commercial radio stations CFGQ-FM Calgary and its transmitter CFGQ-FM-2 Banff and CHQR Calgary

Canadian Security Intelligence Service

• CSIS is taking allegations reported in the media seriously and will not tolerate inappropriate behaviour in the workplace

Copyright Board of Canada

• Recent Decision: Re:Sound Tariff 8 – Non-Interactive and Semi-Interactive Streaming (2013-2018)

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada 

• Canadians to benefit from more competition, better coverage and higher-quality telecom services
• 3800 MHz auction – Process and results

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• Deputy Commissioner to appear before Senate Committee to discuss DNA Bill
• Deputy Commissioner appears before Parliament to discuss proposal to change law governing the National DNA Databank
• Commissioner Dufresne joins Asia Pacific counterparts to discuss progress on key privacy challenges
• Appearance before the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs on its study of Bill S-231, the Increasing the Identification of Criminals Through the Use of DNA Act

United Nations

• DPR Korea: Military satellites, ‘serious risk’ to civil aviation and shipping
• Russia: UN rights chief denounces outlawing of ‘the international LGBT movement’

Global Media and Internet Concentration Project (GMICP)

• Growth and Upheaval in the Network Media Economy in Canada, 1984-2022

United Steelworkers, Local 1944

• USW Local 1944 delegation meets with MPs
• Telus’ Ongoing Payroll Nightmare

Amazon

• AWS shares 11 key announcements from re:Invent 2023
• An AWS technician gives us a tour of a data center in eastern Oregon—see what it’s like inside

Apple

• A disability advocate preserves his voice with iPhone

Disney

• Statement From The Walt Disney Company

Google

• Seizing the AI opportunity in Europe

Meta

• How Meta Is Planning for Elections in 2024
• A Decade of Advancing the State-of-the-Art in AI Through Open Research
• Our Work To Fight Online Predators

Microsoft

• AI in Canada: meeting the opportunity
• Our investment in AI infrastructure, skills and security to boost the UK’s AI potential

OpenAI

• Sam Altman returns as CEO, OpenAI has a new initial board

Telus

• 2023 Indigenous Reconciliation & Connectivity Report
• TELUS secures critically important 3800 MHz spectrum licences, unleashing the full potential of 5G

TikTok

• TikTok and Ticketmaster expand partnership across 20+ countries to help artists sell tickets to fans directly in the app
• Introducing the Artist Account to Boost Discoverability on TikTok

YouTube

• A Year on YouTube: The Trending Topics that Defined 2023

Supreme Court of Canada  

• [TELECOM REGULATION] Judgment to be rendered on Leave Application: Telus Communications Inc. v. Federation of Canadian Municipalities, et al. (Fed.) (Civil) (By Leave) (40776) – Dec 7, 2023
• [POLICE INFORMER PRIVILEGE] 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: December 5 to 8, 2023

House of Commons

• The House of Commons sitting and possible sitting days:  December 4 to December 8, 2023
  • [ETHI] Social Media and Foreign Entities – Dec 4, 2023 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM
  • [CHPC] Tech Giants’ Use of Intimidation Tactics – Dec 5, 2023 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• Anticipated releases for the week of December 4 to December 8, 2023: 
  • Broadcasting Decisions:
    • Applications by various licensees to renew the broadcasting licences for television stations
• Upcoming Hearings
  • CRTC Hearing – Phase 1 – Contributions to the Canadian Broadcasting system – November 20 to December 8, 2023
  • 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)

o    February 12, 2024 – Gatineau, Quebec

Notice of hearing – Review of the wholesale high-speed access service framework – Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2023-56, 2023-56-1, 2023-56-2, and 2023-56-3.

View hearing documents (2023-56)

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

Consultations:

Canadian Heritage

·         Arts Market Survey – December 7, 2023

CRTC

·         Broadcasting

o    2023-369 – Notice of hearing – 8 February 2024 – National Capital Region – Deadline for submission of interventions/comments/answers: 18 December 2023

·         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 – Dec. 13, 2023

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

·         Consultation on the Licence Renewal Process for the 24 GHz and 38 GHz Bands and Preliminary Consultation on Changes to the 24.25-26.5 GHz Band – Nov 17, 2023 to Dec 19, 2023

·         Consultation on Copyright in the Age of Generative Artificial Intelligence –January 15, 2024

·         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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