Weekly Newsletter for February 25, 2025

Weekly News (February 25, 2025)

Compiled by Brad McNeil and Serra Hasiloglu with Sara Bannerman

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(February 19 – 25, 2025)
Canadian News

• [BROADCASTING POLICY] Heritage Minister proposes almost doubling public CBC funding, ending advertising and subscriptions (Globe and Mail)
• [ELECTIONS/PRIVACY] Got a text from an Ontario election candidate? Here’s what Ontario’s privacy watchdog says about unsolicited messages (Inside Halton)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/FAKE VISUALS] Fact check: Fake visuals of Delta airplane crash in Toronto circulate online (Globe and Mail)
• [INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES] Innovative approaches to preserving Indigenous language (Toronto Star)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/SCAM] ‘The ultimate fraud machine’: Scammers are using AI to target people and businesses with increasingly convincing deepfakes (Globe and Mail)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/CLIMATE CHANGE] U of G prof helping preserve climate change data from Trump-scrubbing (Guelph Today)
• [PRIVACY] Burlington Hydro notifies customers personal information may have been exposed in data breach (Inside Halton)
• [ELECTIONS/BIG TECH/POLITICAL INFLUENCE] OPINION: Luke LeBrun: There’s more to Ontario’s lukewarm election engagement than winter distraction (Toronto Star)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/ENERGY] OPINION: Tushar Sharma: The artificial-intelligence boom is straining environmental and infrastructural limits (Globe and Mail)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/ONLINE NEWS/COPYRIGHT] OPINION: Danielle Coffey: An AI company has been lifting content from news media — so we’re suing (Toronto Star)

International News

• [PRIVACY/SURVEILLANCE/PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Dating apps’ lack of safeguards put LGBTQ+ Africans at risk (Context News)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Brazilian judge suspends Rumble, host of Trump’s Truth Social platform (Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/CONTENT MODERATION] Brazil’s top court orders Elon Musk’s X platform to pay fine (Reuters)
• [ONLINE SCAM] Chinese extricated from Myanmar scam centres fly home from Thailand(Reuters)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/SURVEILLANCE] OpenAI Uncovers Evidence of A.I.-Powered Chinese Surveillance Tool (New York Times) 
• [MILITARY] Estonia’s tech investors take defence into their own hands as Russian threat looms(Reuters)
• [CORPORATE TECH REGULATION] Europe set to simplify corporate regulation, EU’s digital chief says (Reuters)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/EDUCATION] Chinese universities launch DeepSeek courses to capitalise on AI boom (Reuters)
• [PRIVACY/LAWSUIT] California’s radical idea for data privacy: Enforce the law (Washington Post)
• [PERSONAL INFORMATION/BIG TECH/POLITICAL INFLUENCE] New Social Security chief was being investigated when Musk team tapped him (Washington Post)
• [CYBERSECURITY] Big Day for Crypto Goes South in a Hurry After a Giant Hack (New York Times) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/MENTAL HEALTH] Chatbots pose challenge to guarding child mental health (Context News)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/MENTAL HEALTH] My patient was using a therapy chat bot. Was that okay? (Washington Post)
• [BIG TECH/INNOVATION] Microsoft Says It Has Created a New State of Matter to Power Quantum Computers (New York Times)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] OpenAI’s Former Chief Technology Officer Starts Her Own Company(New York Times)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] More Wendy’s restaurants will use AI to take your drive-thru order this year (USA Today)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/BIG TECH] Apple reveals its version of budget AI: the $599 iPhone 16e (Reuters)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/BIG TECH] OpenAI tops 400 million users despite DeepSeek’s emergence (CNBC)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/BIG TECH] Microsoft develops AI model for videogames (Reuters)
• [BIG TECH/CONTENT MODERATION]  TikTok restructures trust and safety team, lays off staff in unit, sources say (Reuters)
• [PERSONAL INFORMATION] OPINION: Zeynep Tufekci: Here Are the Digital Clues to What Musk Is Really Up To (New York Times) 

(February 19 – 25, 2025)

Supreme Court of the United States

• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS] WISCONSIN BELL, INC. v. UNITED STATES ex rel. HEATH

Public Safety Canada

• News release:
  • Government of Canada invests in system-wide search and rescue management technology

Canadian Heritage

• News release:
  • Government of Canada helps Racial Equity Screen Office succeed on the world stage
  • Minister St-Onge’s vision for a better CBC/Radio-Canada: a clear choice for Canada’s future
• Media advisory:
  • Supporting a better CBC/Radio-Canada
• Backgrounder:
  • Backgrounder: Role of the government – CBC/Radio-Canada

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• News release:
  • Government of Canada publishes framework to expand wireless services via satellites

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• News release:
  • CRTC consults on definition of Canadian content for audio services
• Regulatory policy:
  • Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2025-54
• Broadcasting and Telecoms:
  • Broadcasting decision 2025-55
    [2025-02-21 11:00:00]
    7202377 Canada Inc. – Across Canada – Application to revoke the broadcasting licence forthe English-language discretionary service Cooking Channel Canada
  • Telecom regulatory policy 2025-54
    [2025-02-21 11:00:00]
    Review of video relay service – Public record: 1011-NOC2021-0102
  • Telecom order 2025-53
    [2025-02-20 14:00:00]
    Streamlined order – The Commission approves on an interim basis the following tariff application: TELUS Communications Inc., TN 599
  • Broadcasting notice of consultation 2025-52
    [2025-02-20 14:00:00]
    Notice of hearing – 18 June 2025 – Gatineau, Quebec – The Path Forward – Supporting Canadian and Indigenous audio content – Public record: 1011-NOC2025-0052
  • Telecom decision 2025-51
    [2025-02-19 11:00:00]
    TELUS Communications Inc. – Long-term connectivity options for three remote regions in British Columbia – Public records: 8000-C12-202400282 and 8663-T66-202402246
  • Telecom order 2025-50
    [2025-02-19 11:00:00]
    Broadband Fund – Change request – TELUS Communications Inc.’s mobile project in Quebec (including Route 138) – Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0372
  • Telecom order 2025-49
    [2025-02-19 11:00:00]
    Broadband Fund – Change request – Rogers Communications Canada Inc.’s Ontario transport fibre project – February 2025 – Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0372
  • Broadcasting notice of consultation 2025-48
    [2025-02-18 11:00:00]
    Notice of application received – Deadline for submission of interventions/comments/answers: 18 March 2025 – Public record: 1011-NOC2025-0048
  • Telecom order 2025-47
    [2025-02-18 11:00:00]
    Groupe Maskatel Québec L.P. – Introduction of Local Service Request Rejection Charge – Public records: Tariff Notices 93 and 93A

Apple

• Apple debuts iPhone 16e: A powerful new member of the iPhone 16 family

Microsoft

• A new level unlocked
• Microsoft unveils Majorana 1

Senate of Canada

• The Senate sitting and possible sitting days:  Parliament is prorogued – The prorogation of the first session of the 44^th Parliament was proclaimed on January 6, 2025. Parliamentary business, including committee business (other than the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senatorsand the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight), is ended and will reconvene on March 24, 2025 for the second session of the 44^th Parliament.

House of Commons

• The House of Commons sitting and possible sitting days:  The 1st session of the 44th Parliament was prorogued on January 6, 2025. Prorogation occurs when the Governor General, on the advice of the Prime Minister, issues a proclamation putting an end to a parliamentary session. In practice, as soon as Parliament is either prorogued or dissolved, all committee activity ceases and, as such, all orders of reference and committee studies lapse. 

Supreme Court of Canada

• The Supreme Court of Canada will decide the following leave applications at 9:45 a.m. ET on Thursday, February 27, 2025:
  • [DEFAMATION/FAIR COMMENT] Brooke Dietrich v. 40 Days for Life (Ont.) (Civil) (By Leave) (41477)

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• Anticipated releases for the week of 24 to 28 February 2025:
  • The CRTC plans to issue the following decisions, notices of consultation, orders and/or regulatory policies in the week of 24 to 28 February 2025. This is subject to change without notice. 
  • Broadcasting Decision:
    • My Broadcasting Corporation
      Brockville and Kingston, Ontario
      CFJR-FM Brockville, CJPT-FM Brockville, CFLY-FM Kingston and CKLC-FM Kingston – Change in ownership and effective control
      Public record: 2024-0080-3
  • Broadcasting Notice of Consultation:
    • Notice of hearing – The Path Forward – Defining “Canadian program” and supporting the creation and distribution of Canadian programming in the audio-visual sector – Addition of a public opinion research report to the public record and key issues in focus during the hearing beginning 31 March 2025
      Public record: 1011-NOC2024-0288
  • Broadcasting Regulatory Policy
    • Cost Recovery (Online News Act) Regulations
  • Telecom Order:
• Broadband Fund – Acceptance of statement of work for the Government of Nunavut’s transport fibre project in Nunavut
  Public record: 1011-NOC2022-0325
• Upcoming hearings:
  • March 27, 2025 – National Capital Region
    Notice of hearing – The Commission intends to consider the following applications, subject to interventions, without the appearance of the parties in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2025-18 – View hearing documents (2025-18
  • March 31, 2025 – Gatineau (Québec)
    Notice of hearing – The Path Forward – Defining “Canadian program” and supporting the creation and distribution of Canadian programming in the audio-visual sector in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2024-288 – View hearing documents (2024-288)            
  • May 12, 2025 – Gatineau (Québec)
    Notice of hearing -The Path Forward – Working towards a sustainable Canadian broadcasting system – Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2025-2 – View hearing documents (2025-2)
  • June 10, 2025 – Gatineau (Québec)
    Notice of hearing – Making it easier for consumers to shop for Internet services – Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2024-318 – View hearing documents (2024-318)
  • June 18, 2025 – Gatineau (Québec)
    Notice of hearing – The Path Forward – Supporting Canadian and Indigenous audio content – Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2025-52 – View hearing documents (2025-52)
• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

Consultations:

Spectrum Management Consultations

• Consultation on Changes to Licensing Requirements and Conditions of Licence on Space Debris Mitigation – Respondents should submit their comments no later than February 25, 2025 to ensure consideration 

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• (Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2025-20) Call for comments – Improving the routing of 9-8-8 calls and texts –  Deadline for submission of replies: 10 March 2025 
• (Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2024-294-1) Call for comments – Making it easier to choose a wireless phone or Internet service – Removing barriers to switching plans – Changes to procedure – Revised deadline for submission of replies: 14 March 2025  
• (Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2024-295-1) Call for comments – Making it easier to choose a wireless phone or Internet service – Enhancing self-service mechanisms – Revised deadline for submission of replies: 12 March 2025   
• (Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2024-293-1) Call for comments – Making it easier to choose a wireless phone or Internet service – Enhancing customer notification – Changes to procedure – Revised deadline for submission of replies: 28 February 2025   
• (Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2025-10) Call for comments – Implementing a retail Internet service subsidy in the Far North – Deadline for submission of replies: 28 February2025
• Share your thoughts on Canadian content for audio services – End date: April 7, 2025
• Share your thoughts on enhancing self-service – End date: March 12, 2025
• Share your thoughts about removing barriers to switching plans – End date: February 28, 2025

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

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