Weekly Newsletter for May 7, 2024

Weekly News (May 7, 2024)

Compiled by Brad McNeil with Sara Bannerman

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(May 1 – 7, 2024)

Canadian News 

• [ONLINE ADVERTISING REGULATION/LAWSUIT]  Google suing CRTC to have YouTube video ad revenue exempted from regulatory fees (BNN Bloomberg) 
• [HATE SPEECH] ‘Violent rhetoric from extremist actors’ increased since Oct. 7 attack, CSIS says (CBC) 
• [FOREIGN INFLUENCE/CYBERSECURITY] Ottawa plans foreign-influence registry, new powers for CSIS to combat threats (Globe and Mail) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION]  More than half of Canadians say freedom of speech is under threat, new poll suggests  (Toronto Star) 
• [PUBLIC BROADCASTING] A plan to bring CBC and Radio-Canada closer together (La Presse) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/STRIKE] Writers Guild of Canada averts strike against Canadian screen producers, pending member vote (Globe and Mail) 
• [CAMPUS PROTEST/FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Quebec court won’t order removal of McGill anti-Israel protest encampment (National Post) 
• [CAMPUS PROTEST/FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Trudeau says universities are for ‘free speech,’ but people must feel safe amid pro-Palestinian protests (Globe and Mail) 
• [CAMPUS PROTEST/FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Doug Ford says pro-Palestinian university encampments ‘need to move’ (Global News) 
• [CAMPUS PROTEST/FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION]  McMaster University encampment in solidarity with Palestine growing  (Hamilton Spectator) 
• [CAMPUS PROTEST/HATE SPEECH] Pro-Palestine encampment remains at University of Toronto despite safety concerns (CityNews) 
• [FREEDOM OF PRESS] Robyn Doolittle among Globe journalists recognized for their contributions to press freedom (Globe and Mail) 
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY] Bombarded with spam texts? Stats show problem getting worse in Canada (Montreal Gazette) 
• [CLASSROOM CELLPHONES]  ‘Don’t use the phones,’ Ontario Premier Doug Ford tells students (CP24) 
• [CYBERATTACK] B.C. library co-op seals leak after hacker obtained data, demanded ransom (Victoria News) 
• [ONLINE NEWS ACT] OPINION: Archie McLean and Peter Malachy Ryan:  Meta’s Canadian news ban could put people at risk during public emergencies (The Conversation) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] OPINION: Eve Haque, Sara Matthews and Trish Salah:  Here is what’s at stake in campus showdowns across Canada and the U.S.  (Toronto Star) 
• [CAMPUS PROTEST/FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] OPINION: Marcus Gee: Canadian universities should let the encampments be (Globe and Mail) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/REGULATION] OPINION: Wendy H. Wong: To make AI safe, governments must regulate data collection  (The Conversation) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] OPINION: Gus Carlson: How companies should respond to Gaza protests (Globe and Mail) 
• [POLITICAL POLARIZATION] OPINION: Paul Wells: Justin Trudeau didn’t start the fire. But the Prime Minister helped stoke Canada’s political polarization (Globe and Mail) 

International News

• [FREEDOM OF PRESS] Press Freedom Is Under Attack in Much of World, U.N. Ambassador Says (Wall Street Journal)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/ELECTIONS] Fake videos of Modi aides trigger political showdown in India election (Reuters) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/CYBERCONFLICT/CYBERSECURITY POLICY] As Artificial Intelligence Grows, a New Diplomatic Strategy Emerges for the United States  (New York Times) 
• [COMPETITION/ANTITRUST] Google’s search engine is an illegal monopoly, U.S. Justice Department says (CTV News) 
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS/PRIVACY]  FCC issues big privacy fines, an action it may soon not be allowed to make  (Washington Post) 
• [FREEDOM OF PRESS/CENSORSHIP] Italy’s state TV journalists strike over government interference (Reuters) 
• [CYBERSECURITY] U.K. Armed Forces’ Data Stolen by State-Linked Hackers, Lawmakers Say  (New York Times) 
• [CENSORSHIP] Russian publisher redacts book on gay Italian director amid LGBT crackdown (Reuters) 
• [INTERNET SERVICE SUBSIDY] Lawmakers Make Final $7 Billion Push to Save $30 Monthly Internet Discounts (Wall Street Journal) 
• [JOURNALISM/ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE]  Nobel laureate Maria Ressa lived through the dangers of social media. She fears AI might be worse (Globe and Mail) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/COPYRIGHT] Universal Music Group artists to return to TikTok after new licensing pact (Reuters) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] The tech billionaires who helped ban TikTok want to write AI rules for Trump  (Washington Post) 
• [CONTENT MODERATION/CENSORSHIP] Kennedy Claims Censorship After Platforms Briefly Block New Ad  (New York Times) 
• [CONTENT MODERATION] She worked in animal research. Now she’s blocked from commenting on it.  (Washington Post) 
• CAMPUS PROTESTS/PERSONAL INFORMATION] In an Online World, a New Generation of Protesters Chooses Anonymity  (New York Times) 
• [MEDIA/CAMPUS PROTESTS] Twitch streamers become go-to news source for campus protest coverage  (Washington Post) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] OpenAI Says It Can Now Detect Images Spawned by Its Software—Most of the Time (Wall Street Journal) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION]  U. of C. police clear protest encampment early Tuesday, days after president announces intention to intervene  (Chicago Tribune) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] UChicago Says Free Speech Is Sacred. Some Students See Hypocrisy. (New York Times) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Columbia cancels main commencement; arrests continue at other campuses (Washington Post) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] M.I.T. Will No Longer Require Diversity Statements for Hiring Faculty (New York Times) 
• [JOURNALISM/ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] Danger and opportunity for news industry as AI woos it for vital human-written copy (The Guardian)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/ELECTIONS] The do’s and don’ts of AI campaigning  (Washington Post) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/ONLINE HARMS] OPINION: Kevin Roberts: To protect kids online today, let’s rethink this 1990s law (Washington Post) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] OPINION: Jane Coaston: Getting Back to Basics on Free Speech (New York Times) 
• [LAWSUIT/FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] OPINION: Ethan Zuckerman: I Love Facebook. That’s Why I’m Suing Meta. (New York Times) 

(May 1 – 7, 2024)

Canadian Intellectual Property Office

• CIPO releases its 2022−2023 Annual Report 

Canadian Security Intelligence Service

• Release of 2023 Public Report 

Democratic Institutions

• Statement from Minister LeBlanc on the Initial Report from the Commissioner for the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions 

Global Affairs Canada

• Canada stands with Germany to condemn malicious cyber campaign 

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• Prices for telecom services continue to decline
• Minister Champagne announces grant recipients for programs promoting intellectual property education, awareness and capacity building 

Information Commissioner of Canada

•  Information Commissioner’s Update: Access to Immigration-Related Information  

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• Privacy Commissioner appears before Standing Committee on National Defence 
• New survey explores business views and practices on privacy-related issues, including AI
•  Appearance before the Standing Committee on National Defence as part of its study of transparency within the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces  

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• Speech
  • Scott Hutton to the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications 
• Broadcasting and Telecoms 
  • Broadcasting decision 2024-96
    [2024-05-06 11:00:00]
    2251723 Ontario Inc. – Montréal, Quebec – Application to revoke the broadcasting licence for the terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertaking serving Montréal
  • Broadcasting decision 2024-95
    [2024-05-06 11:00:00]
    Bell Media Inc. – Across Canada – Application to revoke the broadcasting licence for the English-language discretionary service MTV2
  • Telecom order 2024-94
    [2024-05-06 11:00:00]
    Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc., TN 1209
  • Telecom order 2024-93
    [2024-05-03 11:00:00]
    Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Bell Aliant Regional Communications, Limited Partnership, TN 578
  • Telecom order 2024-92
    [2024-05-02 11:00:00]
    Broadband Fund Payment Order – Approval of Claim Forms – April 2024 – Public records: 1011-NOC2019-0372 and 1011-NOC2022-0325
  • Telecom order 2024-91
    [2024-05-01 11:00:00]
    Determination of Costs – Award Determination of costs award with respect to the participation of the First Mile Connectivity Consortium in the proceeding initiated by Telecom Notice of Consultation 2022-147 – File numbers: 1011-NOC2022-0147 and 4754-722
  • Telecom decision 2024-90
    [2024-05-01 11:00:00]
    Groupe Maskatel Québec LP – Application requesting forbearance from the regulation of wide area network services – Public record: 8640-M22-202201177
  • Telecom decision 2024-89
    [2024-05-01 11:00:00]
    KMTS, a division of Bell Canada – Application requesting forbearance from the regulation of wide area network services – Public record: 8640-K1-202201169
  • Telecom order 2024-88
    [2024-05-01 11:00:00]
    Bell Canada – Tariff Notice 7654 – Introduction of new speed tiers for Disaggregated Broadband Service and Gateway Access Service – Fibre to the Node – Public record: Tariff Notice 7654

Microsoft

• Microsoft and OpenAI launch Societal Resilience Fund 
• Providing further transparency on our responsible AI efforts 

TikTok

• Universal Music Group and TikTok Announce New Licensing Agreement 

OpenAI 

• Reimagining secure infrastructure for advanced AI 

Senate of Canada

• The Senate sitting and possible sitting days:  The Senate will sit from May 7 to 9, 2024 with a possible sitting day on May 10, 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, May 7, 2024 at 9:00 AM ET. 

o    Bills on the Agenda

•   S-257: An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief) – At second reading in the Senate 

•   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 sit the week of May, 6 – 10, 2024.
  • Meetings
    • Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (ETHI): Impact of Disinformation and of Misinformation on the Work of Parliamentarians – Tuesday May 7, 2024, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  
    • Standing Committee on Public Accounts (PACP): Public Accounts of Canada 2023 (Report 7, Cybersecurity of Personal Information in the Cloud) – Tuesday, May 7, 2024, 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.  
    • Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage (CHPC): Job Cuts Announced at CBC/Radio-Canada –  Tuesday, May 7, 2024, 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. 
  • Bills on the Agenda
    • C-70:  An Act respecting countering foreign interference – At second reading in the House of Commons 
    • C-270: An Act to amend the Criminal Code (pornographic material)  – At second reading in the House of Commons  

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 6 to 10 May 2024. This is subject to change without notice.

• Upcoming Hearings
  • 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

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

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