Weekly Newsletter for September 04, 2024

Weekly News (September 04, 2024)

Compiled by Brad McNeil with Sara Bannerman

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(August 28 – September 04,  2024)

Canadian News

• [ACCESS TO INFORMATION] Canada’s Information Commissioner chastises National Defence for ‘unacceptable’ response to records request (Globe and Mail) 
• [PUBLIC BROADCASTING] Howard Levitt: The CBC’s bonus debacle shows how performance pay can become a liability (Financial Post) 
• [PUBLIC BROADCASTING] A conservative case for not dismantling the CBC: ‘It’s just going to make things worse’ (National Post) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/EDUCATION] ‘A great teaching opportunity’: How one school board plans to use AI in the classroom  (Toronto Star) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE]  Toronto ranks 4th in North American tech talent, driven by demand for AI skills: CBRE  (Toronto Star) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/CAMPUS PROTESTS] McMaster students who joined Palestinian rights protest barred from campus  (Hamilton Spectator) 
• [NATIONAL SECURITY/ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/MISINFORMATION] OPINION: David Silverberg: The fakes are rising: Why Canadian students need a crash course in AI literacy (Globe and Mail) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] OPINION: Bryce J. Casavant, Andrea Menard & Siomonn Pulla:  Artificial intelligence should not be allowed to adjudicate cases in Canada’s Federal Court (The Conversation) 

International News

• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Brazilian Supreme Court Panel Upholds Order to Block Elon Musk’s X (New York Times) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Brazil Says Its Resistance to Elon Musk Is Global Example (Wall Street Journal) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Elon Musk’s Starlink Agrees to Block the X Social Network in Brazil (New York Times) 
• [CONTENT MODERATION] Elon Musk’s X wins appeal to block part of California content moderation law (Reuters) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/ELECTIONS] Mark Zuckerberg Says White House Was ‘Wrong’ to Pressure Facebook on Covid (Wall Street Journal) 
• [PRIVACY] Ireland’s data regulator ends court proceedings against X (Reuters) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/JOURNALISM] Venezuela’s newest news agency says AI anchors protect reporters amid government crackdown (Reuters) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGULATION/LABOR] Labor considers an Artificial Intelligence Act to impose ‘mandatory guardrails’ on use of AI (The Guardian) 
• ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGULATION/PRIVACY] Clearview AI fined by Dutch agency for facial recognition database (Reuters) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/ENCRYPTION] Telegram Founder’s Indictment Thrusts Encryption Into the Spotlight (New York Times)  
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Can Tech Executives Be Held Responsible for What Happens on Their Platforms? (New York Times) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/PERSONAL DATA] Meta to inform Brazilians how it uses their personal data to train AI (Reuters) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] On the first day without X, many Brazilians say they feel disconnected from the world (Globe and Mail) 
• [INTERNET GOVERNANCE] White House asks agencies to step up internet routing security efforts (Reuters) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGULATION] California Legislature Approves Bill Proposing Sweeping A.I. Restrictions (New York Time) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] OpenAI, Still Haunted by Its Chaotic Past, Is Trying to Grow Up (New York Times)  
• [COPYRIGHT/ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] OpenAI denies infringement allegations in author copyright cases  (The Globe and Mail) 
• [MISINFORMATION] Left-Wing Misinformation Is Having a Moment (New York Times) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] With X Blocked, Brazilians Find New Homes for Their Thoughts (New York Times)  
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Silicon Valley had Harris’s back for decades. Will she return the favor?  (Washington Post) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/ONLINE HARMS] Telegram CEO’s arrest roils far-right users in US (USA Today) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] How Will Self-Driving Cars Learn to Make Life-and-Death Choices? (Wall Street Journal) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGULATION] As bots get smarter, AI researchers look for ways to verify humans online  (Washington Post) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGULATION] Microsoft Spared U.K. Antitrust Probe Over Ties to Inflection AI (Wall Street Journal)  
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Musk and Durov are facing the revenge of the regulators (Washington Post) 
• [ONLINE HARMS] Telegram’s Pavel Durov built a haven for free speech — and child predators (Washington Post)
• [CONTENT MODERATION] Mickey Mouse Smoking: How AI Image Tools Are Generating New Content-Moderation Problems (Wall Street Journal)  
• [CONTENT MODERATION/HATE SPEECH]  Meta content court rules ‘from the river to the sea’ isn’t hate speech  (Washington Post) 
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE/ELECTIONS] TikTok Expands Its ‘How to Vote’ Resources Ahead of the Election (New York Times) 
• [ONLINE HARMS/CONTENT MODERATION] A telltale clue reveals shady ads on Facebook and Instagram ; Links to Telegram on Meta’s platforms often lead to drugs and scams, researchers find.  (Washington Post) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/CAMPUS PROTESTS] Classes and protests resume at Columbia and other campuses (Washington Post) 
• [CENSORSHIP/BOOK BANS] From School Librarian to Activist: ‘The Hate Level and the Vitriol Is Unreal’ (New York Times)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/HIGHER EDUCATION] OPINION: Michael S Roth: I Hope My Campus Is Even More Political This Year  (New York Times) 

(August 28 – September 04,  2024)

Supreme Court of Canada

• The Supreme Court of Canada has dismissed the following leave applications:
  • [ACCESS TO INFORMATION] Preventous Collaborative Health, et al. v. Canada (Minister of Health) (Federal) (Civil) (By Leave) 
  • [ACCESS TO INFORMATION/PRIVACY] Régis Beniey v. Ministre de la Sécurité publique et de la Protection civile (Federal) (Civil) (By Leave)  

Canadian Heritage 

• Government of Canada invests in the future of Canadian Francophonie 

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• OPC funds research projects related to children’s privacy, and the impact of technology on privacy 
• Privacy Commissioner of Canada signs information-sharing and enforcement cooperation agreement with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• News Releases:
  • CRTC takes action to improve cellphone service along eight major roads 
  • CRTC Broadband Fund: Projects selected in August 2024 
• Broadcasting and Telecoms
  • Telecom decision 2024-157-1
    [2024-08-30 11:00:00]
    The Westport Telephone Company, Limited (operating as WTC Communications) – Implementation of local competition for Bell Canada in the exchange of Westport, Ontario – Corrections to the conclusion – Public record: 8663-W3-202400373
  • Telecom order 2024-198
    [2024-08-30 11:00:00]
    Streamlined order – The Commission approves on an interim basis the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc., TN 1226
  • Broadcasting regulatory policy 2024-121-1
    [2024-08-29 16:00:00]
    The Path Forward – Supporting Canadian and Indigenous content through base contributions – Finalization of conditions of service
  • Telecom decision 2024-197
    [2024-08-29 16:00:00]
    Quebecor Media Inc. – Establishment of wholesale mobile virtual network operator service with Bell Mobility Inc. – Public record: 8622-V3-202306878
  • Telecom order 2024-196
    [2024-08-29 16:00:00]
    Broadband Fund Payment Order – Approval of final implementation reports – August 2024 – Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0372
  • Telecom order 2024-195
    [2024-08-29 16:00:00]
    Broadband Fund Payment Order – Approval of Claim Forms – August 2024 – Public records: 1011-NOC2019-0191, 1011-NOC2019-0372, and 1011-NOC2022-0325
  • Broadcasting order 2024-194
    [2024-08-29 16:00:00]
    Orders imposing conditions of service and expenditure requirements on particular operators of online undertakings
  • Telecom decision 2024-193
    [2024-08-28 16:00:00]
    Broadband Fund – Project funding approval for Sogetel Mobilité inc.’s mobile wireless project in southeastern Quebec (Saint-Augustin-de-Woburn) – Public record: 1011-NOC2022-0325
  • Telecom decision 2024-192
    [2024-08-28 16:00:00]
    Broadband Fund – Project funding approval for TELUS Communications Inc.’s mobile wireless project in Quebec (including routes 204, 232, 234, and 277) – Public record: 1011-NOC2022-0325
  • Telecom decision 2024-191
    [2024-08-28 16:00:00]
    Broadband Fund – Project funding approval for TBayTel’s mobile wireless project in northwestern Ontario (Highway 527) – Public record: 1011-NOC2022-0325
  • Telecom decision 2024-190
    [2024-08-28 16:00:00]
    Broadband Fund – Project funding approval for Bell Canada’s mobile wireless project in Newfoundland and Labrador (Gander Bay South) – Public record: 1011-NOC2022-0325

Senate of Canada

• The Senate sitting and possible sitting days:  The Senate will not be sitting the week of September 2- 6, 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 September 2- 6, 2024. The next scheduled sitting day is September 16, 2024.

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• Anticipated releases for the week of 3 to 6 September 2024:
  • The CRTC is not planning on issuing any decisions, regulatory policies and reports in the week of 3 to 6 September 2024. This is subject to change without notice.
• Upcoming Hearings
  • 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  
• Improving Indigenous Access to Spectrum: Draft Indigenous Priority Window Spectrum Policy Framework – Closing date for comments: October 1, 2024 
• Consultation on a Policy, Licensing and Technical Framework for Supplemental Mobile Coverage by Satellite – closing date for comments: September 13, 2024 

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• Call for comments on the Independent Local News Fund – Deadline for submission of comments: 6 September 2024