Weekly Newsletter for October 8, 2024

Weekly News (October 8, 2024)

Compiled by Brad McNeil with Sara Bannerman

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(October 2 – 8, 2024)

Canadian News

• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGULATION] Canada leading in ‘responsible adoption of AI’: global report (Globe and Mail) 
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS] Canada’s Big 3 telecoms called on by CRTC to lower international roaming fees (Global News) 
• [PUBLIC BROADCASTING] Ottawa to announce changes to CBC’s mandate, appoint new CEO in the next four weeks: source (CBC) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGULATION] AWS director wants Canada’s AI legislation to mesh with other countries (Globe and Mail) 
• [MEDIA] Journalists describe to Hogue inquiry how China and India interfere in diaspora media in Canada  (Globe and Mail) 
• [PRIVACY] Majority of software engineers, developers feel tight deadlines can put safety at risk, survey says (Globe and Mail) 
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS] Investors waiting on telecom rebound as regulatory, interest rate headwinds relent (Globe and Mail) 
• [MEDIA] Pierre Poilievre ends CTV boycott, appears on Bell Media radio show after two news staffers ousted (Toronto Star) 
• [COMPETITION ACT] Competition Act changes leave lingering risks for greenwashing, Quebec researchers say (Globe and Mail) 
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS] CRTC criticized for offering assigned office space as fundraiser prize (CBC) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/CYBERCRIME] Risks linked to AI, cybercrimes have intensified, OSFI says (Financial Post) 
• [ACCESSIBILITY TECH] Tech Update: Using tech to improve accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities  (Toronto Star)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] Still working out the kinks in generative AI, developers rush ahead with multi-tasking ‘agents’ (Globe and Mail) 
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS] Investors waiting on telecom rebound as regulatory, interest rate headwinds relent (Globe and Mail)
• [MEDIA] OPINION: Stephen Maher: I found out what really happened between Pierre Poilievre and CTV. The real story was even more depressing than the lie  (Toronto Star) 
• [CULTURAL FUNDING/ONLINE NEWS ACT] OPINION: Stephen Marche: Canadian culture isn’t in crisis – it’s in recovery  (Globe and Mail) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] OPINION: Gustavo Indart: Worried about Canada’s productivity? Why too much productivity may soon be the problem (Toronto Star) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/DATA CENTRES] OPINION: Chris Varcoe:  As Alberta talks with hyperscalers, power is key to tapping $100B potential for data centers (Calgary Herald) 
• [MEDIA] OPINION: Andrew Coyne: Nice little news network you got there. Pity if anything should happen to it … (Globe and Mail) 

International News

• [PRIVACY/ADVERTISING] Meta must limit data use for targeted advertising, top EU court rules (Reuters) 
• [ONLINE NEWS] Google says it will stop linking to New Zealand news sites if law passes forcing it to pay for content  (Globe and Mail) 
• [MEDIA CONCENTRATION] Australia’s media concentration ranked second-worst in world as experts call for levy on tech firms (The Guardian) 
• [CONTENT MODERATION] Facebook, YouTube and TikTok users in Europe get forum to challenge social media content decisions (ABC News) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/ELECTIONS] Election Deepfakes Prompt State Crackdowns—and First Amendment Concerns (Wall Street Journal) 
• [PRIVACY/LAWSUIT] Texas sues TikTok for violating children’s privacy (Reuters) 
• [PRIVACY/LAWSUIT] TikTok accused of harming, failing to protect younger users in new lawsuits by 13 U.S. states and D.C. (Globe and Mail) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/ELECTION CAMPAIGNS] AI disclaimers in political ads backfire on candidates, study finds (Washington Post) 
• [CONTENT MODERATION] Study finds conservatives likelier to face social media discipline – and why  (Washington Post) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/PRIVACY] The Tech Lobbying Group Helping to Broaden the First Amendment’s Reach  (New York Times) 
• [ALGORITHMIC BIAS] Is Hinge racially biased?  (Washington Post) 
• [PRIVACY] As 23andMe Struggles, Concerns Surface About Its Genetic Data  (New York Times) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGULATION] Frances Haugen Makes the Case for More Whistleblowing in the Age of AI (Wall Street Journal) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/POLICING] Police seldom disclose use of facial recognition in arrests  (Washington Post) 
• [PRIVACY] Google Will Track Your Location ‘Every 15 Minutes’—‘Even With GPS Disabled’ (Forbes) 
• [PRIVACY] College students used Meta’s smart glasses to dox people in real time (The Verge) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/DATA SCRAPING] The Race to Block OpenAI’s Scraping Bots Is Slowing Down (Wired) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/DISINFORMATION] AI-generated video claims to be aftermath of Israeli strike on Beirut (Globe and Mail) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/COMPETITION] US judge orders Google to open up app store to competition (Reuters) 
• [MISINFORMATION] After the deluge, the lies: Misinformation and hoaxes hinder Helene recovery (Los Angeles Times) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] New Score Uses AI to Rate Brands’ Inclusivity in Advertising (Wall Street Journal) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/DEEPFAKES] Adobe to offer free app to help with labeling AI-generated content (Reuters) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/PRIVACY] No time to read? Google’s new AI will turn anything into a podcast  (Washington Post) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] One of the Biggest AI Boomtowns Is Rising in a Tech-Industry Backwater (Wall Street Journal)
• [SEARCH RECOMMENDER/COMPETITION] Google’s Grip on Search Slips as TikTok and AI Startup Mount Challenge (Wall Street Journal) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/JOURNALISM] How The New York Times uses A.I. for journalism  (New York Times) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] OPINION: Robert Wright: Sam Altman’s Imperial Reach (Washington Post) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] OPINION: James Freeman: Hillary Clinton Is Worried (Wall Street Journal) 

(October 2 – 8, 2024)

Supreme Court of Canada

• The Supreme Court of Canada has decided the following leave applications.
  • [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/DEFAMATION] Corinne Pereira v. Margaret Klonarakis (B.C.) (Civil) (By Leave) (41356) (Dismissed) 

Innovation, Science and Economic development Canada

• Minister Champagne to participate in conversation on Canada’s AI leadership at Elevate Festival 

Competition Bureau Canada

• Competition Bureau participates in G7 Summit on competition concerns raised by Artificial Intelligence 

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• News Release:
  • CRTC takes action to bring fibre Internet to 16 rural communities in Manitoba 
  • CRTC takes action to help reduce roaming fees for Canadians 
• Backgrounder:
  • CRTC Broadband Fund: Projects selected in October 2024 
• Speech:
  • Scott Hutton to the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications 
• Report:
  • Defining Canadian Content – Workshops with Stakeholders and Industry: What We Heard Report 
• Broadcasting and Telecoms:
  • Telecom notice of consultation 2024-235
    [2024-10-07 16:00:00]
    Show cause and call for comments – Available footprint for Bell Mobility Inc. and TELUS Communications Inc.’s wholesale roaming services – Public record: 1011-NOC2024-0235
  • Telecom information bulletin 2024-234
    [2024-10-07 16:00:00]
    Practice and procedure for final offer arbitration to determine wholesale roaming rates
  • Telecom decision 2024-233
    [2024-10-07 16:00:00]
    Wholesale roaming service – Review of rates and rate-setting approach – Public record: 8661-E17-202202274
  • Telecom order 2024-232
    [2024-10-07 16:00:00]
    Streamlined order – The Commission approves on an interim basis the following tariff application: TELUS Communications Inc., TN 593
  • Broadcasting notice of consultation 2024-231
    [2024-10-04 11:00:00]
    Notice of hearing – 12 December 2024 – National Capital Region – Deadline for submission of interventions/comments/answers: 4 November 2024
  • Broadcasting information bulletin 2024-230
    [2024-10-03 16:00:00]
    Guidelines for all licensees of broadcasting undertakings serving the province of Saskatchewan – Provincial election
  • Telecom decision 2024-229
    [2024-10-03 16:00:00]
    Broadband Fund – Project funding approval for Westman Communications Group’s transport fibre project from McCreary to Neepawa, Manitoba – Public record: 1011-NOC2022-0325
  • Telecom decision 2024-228
    [2024-10-03 16:00:00]
    Broadband Fund – Project funding approval for Westman Communications Group’s transport fibre project from Dauphin to Minitonas, Manitoba – Public record: 1011-NOC2022-0325
  • Telecom decision 2024-227
    [2024-10-03 16:00:00]
    Broadband Fund – Project funding approval for Westman Communications Group’s transport fibre project from Dauphin to Ste. Rose, Manitoba – Public record: 1011-NOC2022-0325
  • Telecom decision 2024-226
    [2024-10-03 16:00:00]
    Broadband Fund – Project funding approval for Westman Communications Group’s transport fibre project in Plumas, Manitoba – Public record: 1011-NOC2022-0325

United Nations

•  UN explores pathway to safe and inclusive AI  

Google

• Why we’re appealing the Epic Games verdict 

Microsoft

• Protecting Democratic Institutions from Cyber Threats 

Supreme Court of Canada

• The Supreme Court of Canada will decide the following leave applications at 9:45 a.m. ET on Thursday, October 10, 2024. This list might change.
  • [COPYRIGHT]  Leonard B. French v. Royal Canadian Legion (Dominion Command) (Fed.) (Civil) (By Leave) (41324)

Senate of Canada

• The Senate sitting and possible sitting days:  The Senate will be sitting from October 8 -10, with a possible sitting day on October 11, 2024.
  • Bills on the Agenda:
    • S-237: An Act to establish the Foreign Influence Registry and to amend the Criminal Code  – At second reading in the Senate
    • C-26: An Act respecting cyber security, amending the Telecommunications Act and making consequential amendments to other Acts – At second reading in the Senate  
    • C-291: An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to other Acts (child sexual abuse and exploitation material)  – At third reading in the Senate 
    • S-269: An Act respecting a national framework on advertising for sports betting – At third reading in the Senate 
  • Meetings:
    • Standing Committee on Banking Commerce and the Economy (BANC): Bill C-244, An Act to amend the Copyright Act (diagnosis, maintenance and repair); Bill C-294, An Act to amend the Copyright Act (interoperability)  – Wednesday, October 9, 2024 at 4:15 PM ET  
    • Standing Committee on Banking Commerce and the Economy (BANC): Bill C-244, An Act to amend the Copyright Act (diagnosis, maintenance and repair); Bill C-294, An Act to amend the Copyright Act (interoperability)  – Thursday, October 10, 2024 at 11:30 AM ET  

House of Commons

• The House of Commons sitting and possible sitting days:  The House of Commons will be sitting from October 7-11, 2024.
  • Bills on the Agenda:
    • C-412:  An Act to enact the Protection of Minors in the Digital Age Act and to amend the Criminal Code – Outside the Order of Precedence – First reading completed on September 16, 2024 
    • C-413: An Act to amend the Criminal Code (promotion of hatred against Indigenous peoples)  – Outside the Order of Precedence  
  • Meetings:
    • Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU): Russian Interference and Disinformation Campaigns in Canada – Tuesday, October 8, 2024, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  
    • Standing Committee on Access to Information and Privacy and Ethics (ETHI): Impact of Disinformation and of Misinformation on the Work of Parliamentarians – Tuesday, October 8, 2024, 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.  

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• The CRTC plans to issue the following decisions and/or regulatory policies in the week of 7 and 11 October 2024. This is subject to change without notice.
  • Application to review and vary Telecom Regulatory Policy 2024-26 regarding thousand block pooling
    Public record: 8698-B2-202402874
  • Facilities-based wholesale mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) access tariffs – Expanding the scope to include enterprise and Internet of Things customers
    Public records: 1011-NOC2023-0048, Bell Canada Tariff Notice 6, Rogers Communications Canada Inc. Tariff Notice 72, Saskatchewan Telecommunications Tariff Notice 372, and TELUS Communications Inc. Tariff Notice 563
  • Wholesale roaming service – Review of rates and rate-setting approach
    Public record: 8661-E17-202202274
• Upcoming Hearings
  • November 20, 2024 – Gatineau, Quebec
    To consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2023-138, 2023-138-1 and 2023-138-2, View hearing documents (2023-138)
• 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

• 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 24, 2024) 

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• Share your thoughts on the guidelines for consultations relating to official language minority communities and official languages- Deadline: October 9, 2024 (November 8, 2024  for members of official language minority communities) 
• Share your thoughts about described video and audio description: Second consultation period – September 19 to November 20, 2024  

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

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