Weekly Newsletter for April 30, 2024

Weekly News (April 30, 2024)

Compiled by Brad McNeil with Sara Bannerman

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(April 24 – 30, 2024)

Canadian News 

• [CYBERSECURITY] FBI tells parliamentarians they were targets of Chinese hackers in 2021 (Globe and Mail) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/FEDERAL BUDGET]  Ottawa puts up $50M in federal budget to hedge against job-stealing AI (BNN Bloomberg) 
• [CAPITAL GAINS] Communitech, MaRS, won’t join other innovation groups in pushing Ottawa to stop capital-gains hike (Globe and Mail) 
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS] Telecom complaints jump 43% as Rogers accounts for one-quarter of grievances, report finds (Globe and Mail) 
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS/MERGER]  Rogers plans sale of data centers, other real estate as it zeroes in on debt (BNN Bloomberg) 
• [PRIVACY/PLATFORM REGULATION]  The U.S. TikTok ban is now law and a nine-month countdown has started. Is Canada next?  (Toronto Star) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Trudeau won’t comment on future of TikTok in U.S., as Liberals tap app’s influencers (City News Toronto) 
• [MEDIA] Liberal government turning to influencers to get its message to younger Canadians (CTV News) 
• [GOVERNMENT FUNDING/INDUSTRY] Ottawa, Quebec commit $100M to boost semiconductor capacity (Global News) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] B.C. puts social media harms bill on hold, will work with platforms to help young people stay safe online (Globe and Mail)
• [ACCESS TO INFORMATION] Alberta judge slams province on access: “This Court will not abet this conduct” (Secret Canada) 
• [PRIVACY] Border agency eyes smartphone facial recognition system amid privacy concerns (CTV News) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/STRIKE] Writers Guild of Canada votes to authorize strike over pay, staffing, AI  (Globe and Mail) 
• [INDIGENOUS CULTURAL FUNDING] Feds urged to act on funding repatriation of Indigenous cultural belongings (Globe and Mail)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Ontario universities warn student activists encampments will not be tolerated (CBC) 
• [HATE SPEECH/FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/LAWSUIT]  Toronto Metropolitan University faces lawsuit over alleged antisemitism on campus  (Toronto Star) 
• [CYBERSECURITY] London Drugs closes all of its stores after cyberattack (Globe and Mail) 
• [CYBERSECURITY/PRIVACY]  Privacy breaches at St. Martha’s impact nearly 2,700  (Penticton Herald) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE]  Drake hit with cease-and-desist from Tupac Shakur’s estate over AI vocals in diss track  (Toronto Star) 
• [COMPETITION] OPINION: Rita Trichur: President Joe Biden’s former antitrust adviser offers his two cents on reforming Canada’s competition law (Globe and Mail) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] OPINION: Graham Dobbs & Jake Hirsch-Allen:  The heart of Canadian AI: We must build infrastructure for those who need it most. Here’s how to start  (Toronto Star) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] OPINION: Julien Billot:  Canada’s AI strategy: Why perfection should not get in the way of progress  (Toronto Star) 
• [HATE SPEECH/FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] OPINION: J.D. Tuccille: When universities go insane (National Post) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] OPINION: Jesscia Scott-Reid: Why striking down Ontario’s ‘ag-gag’ law is so important (Globe and Mail) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] OPINION: Gus Carlson: Those cheering the U.S. targeting of TikTok should be careful what they wish for (Globe and Mail) 
• [BROADCASTING] OPINION: Simon Houpt: Amazon’s purchase of national NHL rights from Rogers just the beginning of the chaos that awaits Canadian sports fans (Globe and Mail) 

International News

• [ELECTION MISINFORMATION/PLATFORM REGULATION]  Meta Faces E.U. Investigation Over Election Disinformation  (New York Times) 
• [PRIVACY] FTC sends $5.6 million in refunds to Ring customers as part of video privacy settlement (Associated Press)
• [CONTENT MODERATION/PLATFORM REGULATION] Facebook, Instagram in EU crosshairs for election disinformation (Reuters)  
• [INTERNET POLICY] The FCC Restores Net Neutrality. What It Means for the Internet (Wall Street Journal) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Why China Is Holding Its Fire as U.S. Moves to Ban TikTok (Wall Street Journal) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Columbia Starts Suspending Pro-Palestinian Student Protesters in Standoff (Wall Street Journal)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Police arrest scores of pro-Palestinian protesters on US university campuses (Reuters) 
• [CONTENT MODERATION] Elon Musk Clashes With Australian Court Over Violent Videos on X (New York Times)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/REGULATION] Austria calls for rapid regulation as it hosts meeting on ‘killer robots’ (Reuters) 
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS/PRIVACY] FCC fines Verizon, AT&T other major carriers nearly $200 million for sharing customer data (USA Today) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Getting kids off social media is a uniting issue in the Senate  (Washington Post) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] TikTok, U.S. prepare for legal battle over potential ban  (Washington Post) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/ELECTIONS] Senate pursues action against AI deepfakes in election campaigns  (Washington Post) 
• [CONTENT MODERATION]  Meta’s oversight body prepares to lay off workers  (Washington Post) 
• [PRIVACY] ‘Smartphones on Wheels’ Draw Attention From Regulators  (New York Times) 
• [MEDIA/MISINFORMATION] Right-Wing Network Retracts False Story About Key Witness in Trump Trial (New York Times) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] D.C. police just schooled a university on freedom of speech rights  (Washington Post) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] Meta’s A.I. Assistant Is Fun to Use, but It Can’t Be Trusted (New York Times) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/DEEPFAKES] Baltimore principal’s racist rant was an AI fake. His colleague was arrested.  (Washington Post) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] TikTok Broke the Tech Law Logjam. Can That Success Be Repeated? (New York Times) 
• [PRIVACY] Dating apps are collecting more of your information than you think  (Washington Post) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Other Tech Leaders to Serve on AI Safety Board (Wall Street Journal) 
• [PRIVACY] Your Brain Waves Are Up for Sale. A New Law Wants to Change That. (New York Times) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] OPINION: Pamela Paul: PEN America Has Stood by Authors. They Should Stand by PEN. (New York TImes) 
• [EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY/PRIVACY] OPINION: Jessica Grose: Every Tech Tool in the Classroom Should Be Ruthlessly Evaluated (New York Times) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] OPINION: Tim Wu: When It Comes to TikTok, the World’s Democracies Have Played the Sucker for Far Too Long (New York Times) 

(April 24 – 30, 2024)

Department of Finance Canada

• Federal Budget: Investing in Canada’s AI ecosystem 

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• Broadcasting and Telecoms 
  • Broadcasting decision 2024-87
    [2024-04-29 11:00:00]
    The Miracle Channel Association – Across Canada – Application for a broadcasting license to operate the currently exempt national, English-language discretionary service Corco as a licensed national, English-language discretionary service
  • Telecom order 2024-86
    [2024-04-26 11:00:00]
    Broadband Fund – Change request – Cogeco Connexion Inc.’s Ontario (Algonquin) transport fibre project – April 2024 – Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0372
  • Telecom order 2024-85
    [2024-04-26 11:00:00]
    Broadband Fund – Change request – ATG Arrow Technology Group Limited Partnership’s access project in Alberta (Goodfish Lake) – April 2024 – Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0372
  • Telecom order 2024-84
    [2024-04-25 11:00:00]
    Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff applications: Northwestel Inc., TN 1206 and TN 1208

TikTok

• Statement on Enactment of the TikTok Ban 

OpenAI 

• We’re bringing the Financial Times’ world-class journalism to ChatGPT 

Senate of Canada

• The Senate sitting and possible sitting days:  The Senate will sit from April 30 – May 2, 2024 with a possible sitting day on May 3, 2024.
  • Meetings
    • Standing Committee on Transport and Communications (TRCM): Bill C-288, An Act to amend the Telecommunications Act (transparent and accurate broadband services information) – Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at 9:00 AM ET.  
  • Bills on the Agenda
    • S-261: An Act respecting non-disclosure agreements – At second reading in the Senate 
    • S-269: An Act respecting a national framework on advertising for sports betting – At second reading in the Senate 
    • C-244: An Act to amend the Copyright Act (diagnosis, maintenance and repair) – At second reading in the Senate 
    • C-294:  An Act to amend the Copyright Act (interoperability) – At second reading in the Senate 

House of Commons

• The House of Commons sitting and possible sitting days:  The House of Commons will not be sitting the week of April 29 – May, 3, 2024.
  • Meetings
    • Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (ETHI): Impact of Disinformation and of Misinformation on the Work of Parliamentarians – Tuesday, April 30,  2024, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. 

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• Anticipated releases for the week of 29 April to 3 May 2024
  • The CRTC plans to issue the following decisions and/or regulatory policies in the week of 29 April to 3 May 2024. This is subject to change without notice.

• Upcoming Hearings
  • May 3, 2023 – Gatineau, Quebec
    To consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2023-6, 2023-6-1, 2023-6-2 View hearing documents (2023-6)
  • May 11, 2023 – National Capital Region
    To consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2023-49, View hearing documents (2023-49)
  • June 28, 2023 – Gatineau, Quebec
    To consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2023-72, View hearing documents (2023-72)                 
  • July 6, 2023 – National Capital Region
    To consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2023-129, 2023-129-1  View hearing documents (2023-129)
• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

Consultations:

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

•  Call for comments – Co-development of an Indigenous Broadcasting Policy – July 22, 2024 2024-67

Competition Bureau

•  Competition Bureau seeks feedback on artificial intelligence and competition – Feedback can be submitted until May 4, 2024

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

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