Weekly Newsletter for July 3, 2024

Weekly News (July 3, 2024)

Compiled by Brad McNeil with Sara Bannerman

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(June 26 – July 3, 2024)

Canadian News

• [INTERNET POLICY/LAWSUIT] Internet ban in Canadian prisons is unconstitutional because it blocks access to education, new lawsuit alleges  (Toronto Star) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/SURVEILLANCE/ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] As some Ontario police increasingly use facial recognition technology, calls grow for regulations (Global News) 
• [ONLINE NEWS ACT] News publishers ask CRTC to ensure ‘good faith’ in Google funding (National Post) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/COPYRIGHT] Creators urge Ottawa to force disclosure of ‘black box’ AI system training (Globe and Mail) 
• [PRIVACY/PERSONAL INFORMATION]  City routinely posts residents’ personal info online, despite watchdog warning  (Toronto Star) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/TELECOMMUNICATIONS] Canada’s telecom sector harnessing AI to boost efficiency, but trust concerns linger (Globe and Mail) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] Canada is a force in AI research. So why can’t we commercialize it? (CTV News) 
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS] Bell files injunction seeking to block Rogers from broadcasting Warner Bros. content  (Globe and Mail) 
• [RIGHT TO REPAIR] Apple to bring self-service repair program to Canada next year  (Globe and Mail) 
• [ONLINE HARMS] Canada needs national strategy to monitor online gambling harms: report (Globe and Mail) 
• [MEDIA] Bid to sell insolvent newspaper chain in Atlantic Canada reaches critical phase (CBC) 
• [CULTURAL FUNDING] ‘Godfather’ of AI Geoffrey Hinton offers $1-million for Ontario Science Centre roof (Globe and Mail) 
• [ONLINE HARMS] Burlington, Ont., man faces terrorism charges for online threats related to ‘incel ideology’ (CBC)  
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/INDUSTRY] Shopify beefs up AI offerings as race to adopt technology ripples across the globe (Financial Post) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/COPYRIGHT] OPINION: Vass Bednar: Record labels are suing artificial-intelligence companies. Here’s why that’s important (Globe and Mail) 
• [ONLINE HARMS] OPINION: Editorial Board: Technology and the law: Disconnect students and cellphones   (Globe and Mail) 
• [PERSONAL INFORMATION] OPINION: Adin Wagner: The law should treat personal data like human organs – not for sale (Globe and Mail) 
• [JOURNALISM/ONLINE NEWS ACT] OPINION: Joshua Krane:  Here’s what we need to do to keep Canadian journalism alive  (Toronto Star) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/MISINFORMATION] OPINION: Ian P. McCarthy: How to deal with the tsunami of AI-generated hallucinations (Globe and Mail) 
• [CULTURAL FUNDING] OPINION: Barry Rueger: Without a strong NFB, Canadians will lose sight of who we are (Globe and Mail) 
• [COMPETITION/PLATFORM REGULATION] OPINION: Keldon Bester: New Google probe shows Canada’s competition cop is getting serious (National Post) 
• [COMPETITION/GREENWASHING] OPINION: Grant bishop: Overbroad and a Charter violation: Ottawa’s big mess of anti-greenwashing rules (Globe and Mail) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/COMPETITION] OPINION: Editorial Board: Technology and the law: The new age of Big Tech monopolies  (Globe and Mail) 
• [WHISTLEBLOWING] OPINION: Gwynne Dyer: Julian Assange deal is a dire warning for the world’s whistleblowers  (Hamilton Spectator) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGULATION/DEEP FAKES] OPINION: Editorial Board: Technology and the law: Catching up to the existential threat of deepfakes (Globe and Mail) 

International News

• [CONTENT MODERATION/FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Supreme Court says content moderation is speech (Washington Post) 
• [CONTENT MODERATION/FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Supreme Court Declines to Rule on Tech Platforms’ Free Speech Rights (New York Times) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Court permits White House to contact social media firms  (Washington Post) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/COMPETITION] Meta’s pay or consent model in crosshairs for breaching EU tech rules (Reuters) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/ELECTIONS] Google to require disclosures for digitally altered content in election ads (Reuters) 
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS/INTERNET POLICY] Supreme Court Puts Biden Policies Like Net Neutrality and Ban on Noncompete Contracts at Risk (Wall Street Journal)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/PLATFORM REGULATION] AI deals between Microsoft and OpenAI, Google and Samsung, in EU crosshairs (Reuters) 
• [JOURNALISM/CENSORSHIP] Closed-door espionage trial of U.S. journalist kicks off in Russia (Washington Post) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/REGULATION] UK needs system for recording AI misuse and malfunctions, thinktank says (The Guardian) 
• [ONLINE HARMS/HATE SPEECH] Chinese social media companies condemn hate speech against Japanese after knife attack (Reuters) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/ONLINE NEWS]  Meta says it may block news from Facebook in Australia  (Reuters) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/COMPETITION] Exclusive: Nvidia set to face French antitrust charges, sources say (Reuters) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/PLATFORM REGULATION] California considers unique safety regulations for AI companies, but faces tech firm opposition  (Globe and Mail) 
• [ONLINE HARMS/PLATFORM REGULATION] Mississippi law restricting children’s social media use blocked (Reuters) 
• [CONTENT MODERATION] YouTube’s Rulings on Gaza War Videos Spark Internal Backlash (Wired) 
• [CYBERSECURITY]  Ticketmaster confirms data breach, won’t say how many North American customers compromised (USA Today) 
• [CONTENT MODERATION/PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Meta created a ‘Supreme Court’ for content. Then it threatened its funds. (Washington Post) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/ONLINE HARMS/PRIVACY] House privacy talks implode in spectacular fashion  (Washington Post) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/PRIVACY] AI is learning from what you said on Reddit, Stack Overflow or Facebook. Are you OK with that? (CityNews) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/ONLINE HARMS] OnlyFans vows it’s a safe space. Predators are exploiting kids there.  (Reuters) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/POLICING] Detroit changes rules for police use of facial recognition after wrongful arrest of Black man (The Guardian) 
• [CENSORSHIP/BOOK BANS] Book bans spreading at unprecedented rate across U.S. school libraries (Globe and Mail) 
• [WHISTLEBLOWING/TRIAL] WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange returns to Australia a free man after U.S. legal battle ends (Globe and Mail) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/MILITARY] A.I. Begins Ushering In an Age of Killer Robots (New york Times) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/PRIVACY] When the Terms of Service Change to Make Way for A.I. Training (New York Times) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/COPYRIGHT] Major Record Labels Sue A.I. Music Generators (New York Times) 
• [PRIVACY/SURVEILLANCE] Is Your Driving Being Secretly Scored? (New York Times) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/EDUCATION] Teachers Use AI to Grade Student Work. It’s Harsher Than They Are. (Wall Street Journal) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/CONTENT MODERATION/INTERNET POLICY] OPINION: Tim Wu: The First Amendment Is Out of Control (New York Times) 
• [DISINFORMATION/ELECTIONS] OPINION: Renée DiResta: What Happened to Stanford Spells Trouble for the Election (New York Times) 

(June 26 – July 3, 2024)

Supreme Court of the United States 

• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/CONTENT MODERATION] MURTHY v. MISSOURI  
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/CONTENT MODERATION]  MOODY v. NETCHOICE, LLC  
• [ONLINE HARMS]  DOE v. SNAP, INC.  

Supreme Court of Canada 

• Judgment on Leave Applications:
  • [COPYRIGHT] Voltage Holdings, LLC v. Doe #1, et al. and Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy & Public Interest Clinic (Fed.) (Civil) (By Leave) (41026) 
    •  The application for leave to appeal from the judgment of the Federal Court of Appeal, Number A-129-22, 2023 FCA 194, dated September 27, 2023, is dismissed.

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada 

• Announcement:
  • OPC submission on Alberta’s review of the Personal Information Protection Act  
  • Government of Canada launches consultation on right to repair to better meet Canadian consumers’ needs 
  • Government of Canada launches public consultation on artificial intelligence computing infrastructure

Competition Bureau Canada

• News Release:
  • Significant changes to strengthen the Competition Act become law 

Canadian Heritage

• Media Advisory:
  • Government of Canada supports Indigenous heritage and culture initiatives in Brantford 

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• Announcement:
  • Privacy Commissioner meets with Asia-Pacific counterparts

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• News Releases:
  • CRTC launches public consultation on Google’s application under the Online News Act 
  • CRTC launches consultations to ensure programming is accessible to all Canadians 
• Broadcasting and Telecoms
  • Broadcasting notice of consultation 2024-148 [2024-07-02 11:00:00] Notice of hearing – 5 September 2024 – National Capital Region – Deadline for submission of interventions/comments/answers: 1 August 2024 
  • Telecom order 2024-147
    [2024-06-28 11:00:00]
    Broadband Fund payment order – Approval of claim forms – June 2024 – Public records: 1011-NOC2022-0325 and 1011-NOC2019-0372
  • Telecom order 2024-146
    [2024-06-28 11:00:00]
    Saskatchewan Telecommunications – Tariff Notice 379 – Destandardization and withdrawal of the Intercom feature for SmartTouch Subscription Service – Public record: Tariff Notice 379
  • Telecom order 2024-145
    [2024-06-28 11:00:00]
    Broadband Fund – Change request – Broadband Communications North Inc.’s Manitoba satellite project – Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0191
  • Compliance and Enforcement order 2024-144
    [2024-06-28 11:00:00]
    Unsolicited Telecommunications Fees – Telemarketing regulatory costs for 2024–25 and fees paid for 2023–24
  • Broadcasting and Online News Act notice of consultation 2024-143
    [2024-06-27 16:00:00]
    Call for comments – Application for exemption from the Online News Act by Google – Public record: 1011-NOC2024-0143
  • Telecom order 2024-142
    [2024-06-27 16:00:00]
    Broadband Fund – Change request – Columbia Basin Broadband Corporation’s British Columbia (Highway 95/95A corridor) transport fibre project – June 2024 – Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0372
  • Telecom decision 2024-141
    [2024-06-27 16:00:00]
    Iristel Inc. – Request for relief against Bell Canada and Northwestel Inc. with respect to notices of disconnection of telecommunications services – Public record: 8622-J64-202305771
  • Telecom order 2024-140
    [2024-06-27 16:00:00]
    Broadband Fund – Change request – Rogers Communications Canada Inc.’s Ontario transport fibre project – June 2024 – Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0372
  • Broadcasting decision 2024-139
    [2024-06-26 11:00:00]
    Neeti P. Ray, on behalf of corporations to be incorporated – Hamilton and Windsor, Ontario – Applications to change the ownership and effective control of three English-language commercial AM radio stations located in Ontario: CKWW Windsor, CHAM Hamilton and CKOC Hamilton

The TechLobby 

• 2023 TechLobby Annual Report 

Google 

• 7 principles for getting AI regulation right
• Our testimony to the California Senate Judiciary Committee on the California Journalism Preservation Act  

Meta

•  What Is the Fediverse?  

OpenAI

• Finding GPT-4’s mistakes with GPT-4 
• Strategic Content Partnership with TIME 

TikTok 

• TikTok U.S. Data Security Names Independent Security Inspectors as Part of Digital Integrity and Compliance Journey 

Senate of Canada

• The Senate sitting and possible sitting days:  The Senate will not be sitting the week of June 24 – 28, 2024. The next scheduled sitting day is September 17, 2024.

House of Commons

• The House of Commons sitting and possible sitting days:  The House of Commons will not be sitting the week of July 24 – 28, 2024. The next scheduled sitting day is September 16, 2024.

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• Anticipated releases for the week of 2 to 5 July 2024:
  • The CRTC is not planning on issuing any decisions, regulatory policies and reports in the week of 2 to 5 July 2024. This is subject to change without notice.  

• Upcoming Hearings
  • 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)
  • September 14, 2023 – National Capital Region
    To consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2023-206, View hearing documents (2023-206)
• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

Consultations:

Spectrum Management Consultations

•  Consultation on a Policy, Licensing and Technical Framework for Supplemental Mobile Coverage by Satellite  – Closing date for comments: September 13, 2024. Closing date for reply to comments: October 25, 2024

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

•  Right to Repair Consultation – Closing date for comments: September 26, 2024. 

•  Consultation on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Compute – Closing date for comments: September 6, 2024  

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

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

• Share your thoughts about Google’s exemption application under the Online News Act- Closing date: July 29, 2024 

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

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