Weekly News (July 16, 2019)

Compiled by Ian Steinberg with Sara Bannerman

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

 

Communications Governance Observatory Monthly Podcast Series

• Podcast #9 with host and producer Sumana Naidu now available: Platform Regulation Part 2 with Dr. Tamara Shepherd (17 min)

Canadian News (July 9-15, 2019)

• [ELECTION SECURITY] Election threat alert a ‘last resort’ (Star)
• [SURVEILLANCE AND PRIVACY] Group says spies went too far (Star)
• [SURVEILLANCE AND PRIVACY] Opinion: If you challenge authority, expect CSIS to spy on you (Star)
• [SMART CITIES] Public meeting puts Quayside under scrutiny (Star)
• [COPYRIGHT] Artists’ advocacy groups to launch registry meant to safeguard ownership for creators (Globe and Mail)
• [WIRELESS REGULATION] Rogers to test limits of CRTC rules with three-year smartphone financing (Globe and Mail, paywall)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Twitter taps Canada as test for new ‘hide’ tweet (CP)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Hamilton council backs off controversial protest rules (Spectator)

International News (July 9-15, 2019)

• [PLATFORM REGULATION] FTC votes in favor of Facebook Settlement (Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] France Moves to Tax Tech Giants, Stoking Fight With White House (NYT)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Trump aims to rally online allies at social media summit (Washington Post)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Trump cannot block critics on Twitter, court rules (NYT)
• [PRIVACY] Regulators eye auctions that decide which web ads you see (WSJ)
• [PRIVACY] Florida DMV sells your personal information to private companies, marketing firms (ABC)
• [PRIVACY] Lawmakers scrutinize facial-recognition scans (Washington Post)
• [ELECTION SECURITY] Full House and Senate briefed on election security (Washington Post, paywall)
• [WIRELESS/CYBERSECURITY] US will license sales to Huawei if national security not threatened, Commerce Secretary Ross says  (Reuters)
• [PRESS FREEDOM] ‘Journalism is under attack. This is a transformative time’ (Globe and Mail)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] AT&T pulls friends from US Netflix to add to its own streaming service (AP)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Twitter updates policy to ban dehumanizing posts about religious groups (Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Amazon Prime Days bring out waves of unhappy employees (CBC)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Facebook wants half its workforce to be from underrepresented groups (Star)
• [CYBERSECURITY] Border officials not told of massive surveillance breach until three weeks after subcontractor was first alerted  (Washington Post, paywall)
• [CYBERSECURITY] Marriott faces $123 million fine over Starwood data breach (WSJ)

Press Releases and Decisions (July 9-15, 2019)

Supreme Court of Canada

• [INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY] Sadhu Singh Hamdard Trust v. Navsun Holdings Ltd. (F.C.) (Civil) (By Leave) (38550) The motion for an extension of time to serve and file the response to the application for leave to appeal is granted. The application for leave to appeal from the judgment of the Federal Court of Appeal, Number A-65-18, 2019 FCA 10, dated January 17, 2019, is dismissed with costs.

Canadian Heritage

• Government of Canada Supports Brampton Tamil Seniors Association’s Cultural Outreach Initiative
• Going Off The Beaten Track With New Voices in Comedy, Theatre and Music in Montréal
• Government of Canada Announces Funding to Preserve Micmac Language and Culture in the Gaspé Region
• The Governments of Canada and Nova Scotia Announce Funding to Support Nova Scotia’s Francophone University Community

Canadian Intellectual Property Office

• Canada is modernizing its patent regime to implement the Patent Law Treaty, and the new Patent Rules will come into force on October 30, 2019.
• Update to the patent e-filing application

CRTC

 

News Releases:

• Telecom decision 2019-252 [2019-07-11 11:00:00] Sogetel inc. – Application for forbearance from the regulation of business local exchange services- Public record: 8640-S4-201900837
• Broadcasting information bulletin 2019-251[2019-07-11 11:00:00] Decision of the Broadcasting Arbitrator
• Broadcasting decision 2019-250 [2019-07-11 11:00:00] APPROVED – Radio Markham York Incorporated – Markham (Ontario) – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the English-language commercial radio station CFMS-FM
• Telecom decision 2019-249 [2019-07-10 11:00:00] Iristel Inc. – Application for final relief regarding Bell Canada’s rate increases for certain circuits – Public record: 8661-J64-201811159
• Broadcasting decision 2019-248 [2019-07-09 11:00:00] DENIED – Radio Humsafar Inc. – Brampton, Ontario – Application to change the authorized contours of it’s the applicant’s unlaunched ethnic commercial AM radio station in Brampton
• Broadcasting decision 2019-247 [2019-07-09 11:00:00] APPROVED – 10679313 Canada Inc. – Sainte-Marie, Quebec – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the French-language commercial radio station CHEQ-FM Sainte-Marie
• Broadcasting decision 2019-246 [2019-07-09 11:00:00] APPROVED – LE5 Communications Inc. – Sudbury, Ontario – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the French-language commercial radio station CHYC-FM Sudbury
• Broadcasting decision 2019-245 [2019-07-09 11:00:00] APPROVED – Coopérative Radio-Halifax-Métro limitée – Halifax, Nova Scotia – Application to renews the broadcasting licence for the French -language community radio station CKRH-FM
• Broadcasting decision 2019-244 [2019-07-09 11:00:00] APPROVED – Radio communautaire du Saguenay inc. – Jonquière and La Baie, Quebec – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the French-language community radio station CKAJ-FM Jonquière and its transmitter CKAJ-FM-1 La Baie
• Telecom decision 2019-243 [2019-07-09 11:00:00] Bell Canada – Application for forbearance from the regulation of retail analogue services – Public record: 8640-B2-201810846

Democratic Institutions

• Government of Canada sets out the requirements to implement the Critical Election Incident Public Protocol

Global Affairs Canada

• Address by Minister of Foreign Affairs at Global Conference for Media Freedom
• Canada and United Kingdom commit to media freedom

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• Minister Sohi announces new CanCode investment
• Rural communities of La Glace and Valhalla Centre, Alberta, will benefit from faster Internet

National Film Board

• New LGBTQ2+ channel available for free at NFB.ca

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• Video introduction to PIPEDA for your business
• OPC publishes infographics for Canadians

Facebook

• Understand Why You’re Seeing Certain Ads and How You Can Adjust Your Ad Experience

Microsoft

• As technology like AI propels us into the future, it can also play an important role in preserving our past
• The power of inclusion, extending our learnings from the Supported Employment Program

Twitter

• Guest post: Taking the high road: The power of purpose-driven stances
• Giving you more control over your conversations

Upcoming Events

Senate of Canada

• No fixed and possible Senate sitting days this week; Senate reconvenes on September 17, 2019

Canadian House of Commons

• No fixed and possible House of Commons sitting days this week; House reconvenes on September 16, 2019

Innovation, Science and Economic Development

• Consultation on a Policy and Licensing Framework for Spectrum in the 3500 MHz Band

CRTC

Broadcasting Decisions:

Applications by various licensees to renew the broadcasting licences for various radio stations

Applications by various licensees to renew the broadcasting licences for various television stations

Decision relating to the following application considered under the Commission’s Part 1 process:

• TVA Group Inc.
  Various discretionary services and conventional television stations – Licence amendment
  Public record for this application: 2017-1028-6

Decisions relating to the following applications considered by the Commission at the 16 May 2019 public hearing:

• Stingray Radio Inc.
  CHOO-FM Drumheller – Acquisition of assets
  Public record for this application: 2019-0071-2
• Société CKRP Radio Rivière-la-Paix
  CKRP-FM Falher – Acquisition of assets
  Public record for this application: 2018-1064-8

Upcoming Public Hearings:

• • September
    To consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2019-225. View hearing documents (2019-225)

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings