Newsletter: October 8, 2019

Weekly News (October 8, 2019)
Compiled by Ian Steinberg and Kim Payne with Sara Bannerman
McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

Communications Governance Observatory Podcast
Podcast Episode 8: Platform Regulation Part 1 with Dr. Tamara Shepherd (17 min)
Podcast Episode 9: Platform Regulation Part 2 with Dr. Tamara Shepherd (17 min)

Canadian News (October 1-7, 2019)

• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Supreme Court sides with Caledonia protester over unlawful arrest by OPP (The Hamilton Spectator)
• [POLITICAL PLATFORMS/PLATFORM REGULATION ] How do you regulate Big Tech in the digital age? We asked the four main political parties for their views (Toronto Star)
• [PRIVACY] Privacy commissioner launches investigation into Statscan’s efforts to obtain banking records; Canada’s chief statistician is defending the agency’s plans as Conservative MPs accuse the government of invading individual Canadians’ privacy (The Globe and Mail)
• [NAFTA/INTELLECTUAL PROPERY] A political win, but everyone still loses in new NAFTA deal; The new United States-Mexico-Canada agreement (USMCA) forces Canada and Mexico to rewrite their rules to accommodate American demands (The Globe and Mail)
• [TRADEMARK] The publisher of “The Night Girl” cleared the rights to the book cover image with the photographer who created it, but didn’t think to contact the CN Tower. (Toronto Star)
• [COPYRIGHT] As meme culture spreads to politics, stakes increase for celebrities and copyright owners (Global News)
• [THIRD-PARTY ADVERTISING IN ELECTIONS] One little meme can go a long way in politics (Star)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Alberta government plans harsher penalties for ‘illegal invasion’ of farm protests (Star)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Most Canadians think Big Tech platforms are making society worse, survey finds (Star)
• [POLITICAL ADVERTISING/PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Facebook’s wrong turn (Star)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Revenue forecasts questioned for Liberal tax on Big Tech (Globe and Mail)
• [BROADBAND REGULATION] Cable operators win stay in court battle with CRTC over internet rates (Globe and Mail)
• [FREEDOM OF INFORMATION) B.C. cabinet minister steps aside after RCMP begin investigation (National Post)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Opinion: Liberal policy on Big Tech looks like a step back (Star)
• [PRIVACY] Opinion: We street-proof our kids. Why aren’t we data-proofing them? (The Conversation)
• [BROADCAST] Opinion: Canada making the wrong kind of TV shows (Star)

International News (October 1-7, 2019)

• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Facebook can be forced to delete content worldwide (NYT)
• [PRIVACY] Trump administration to expand DNA collection at border and give information to FBI (Guardian) 
• [PRIVACY] France to become first EU country to use nationwide facial recognition app (Telegraph) 
• [PRIVACY] Barr Presses Facebook on Encryption, Setting Up Clash Over Privacy (WSJ)
• [PRIVACY/PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Ireland’s Privacy Regulator Moves Closer to Decisions in WhatsApp, Twitter Cases (WSJ)
• [CABLE REGULATION] Comcast lawsuit in Supreme Court could cause ‘irreparable harm’ to minority protections, NAACP warns (Chicago Tribune)
• [PRIVACY] Egypt is using apps to track and target its citizens (NYT)
• [CYBERSECURITY/ELECTIONS] Microsoft: Hackers targeted presidential campaign (Washington Post)
• [CYPBERSECURITY] Hacking back may be less risky than people assume, recent studies fund (Washington Post)
• [FAKE NEWS] Will fake news wreck the coming general election? (Guardian Australia)
• [NEWS/PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] With Facebook’s news tab, only some will get paid (WSJ)
• [FACIAL RECOGNITION] Google reportedly targeted people with ‘dark skin’ to improve facial recognition (Guardian)
• [FACIAL RECOGNITION] Congresswoman isn’t only one who thinks race affects facial-recognition results (Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Facebook legal team scores early victory in war against fraud (Washington Post)

Supreme Court of Canada

• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Fleming v Ontario, 2019 SCC 45

Copyright Board of Canada

• Copyright Board of Canada Graduate Student Paper Prize in Copyright Economics

CRTC Policy Announcements:

• 2019-346 – Amendments to the Simultaneous Programming Service Deletion and Substitution Regulations
• News Releases:
  • Broadcasting regulatory policy 2019-346 [2019-10-07 11:00:00] Amendments to the Simultaneous Programming Service Deletion and Substitution Regulations
  • Telecom order 2019-345 [2019-10-04 11:00:00] Streamlined Order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff applications: Bell Canada TN 956 and TN 957
  • Telecom decision 2019-344 [2019-10-04 11:00:00] TELUS Communications Inc. – Application for forbearance from the regulation of low-speed competitor digital network access services – Public record: 8640-T66-201802406
  • Telecom decision 2019-343 [2019-10-04 11:00:00] Bell Canada – Application for forbearance from the regulation of low-speed competitor digital network access services – Public record: 8640-B2-201801225
  • Telecom decision 2019-342 [2019-10-04 11:00:00] TELUS Communications Inc. – Application to review and vary Telecom Orders 2019-35, 2019-36, 2019-37, and 2019-38 – Public record: 8662-T66-201903295

Facebook

• Removing Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior in UAE, Nigeria, Indonesia and Egypt

Google

• The historic partnership of democracy and technology

Microsoft

• Recent cyberattacks require us all to be vigilant
• The path to prosperity through access to high-speed internet

The 42nd Parliament was dissolved on September 11, 2019. Dissolution occurs when the Governor General, on the advice of the Prime Minister, issues a proclamation putting an end to the current Parliament, which triggers a general election.

In practice, as soon as Parliament is dissolved, all committee activity ceases and, as such, all orders of reference and committee studies lapse. No committee may sit during a dissolution."

Senate of Canada

• No fixed and possible Senate sitting days this week. Canadian House of Commons
• No fixed and possible House of Commons sitting days this week.

Supreme Court of Canada

• “The Supreme Court of Canada announced today that judgment in the following applications for leave to appeal will be delivered at 9:45 a.m. EDT on Thursday, October 10, 2019. This list is subject to change.”
• [DEFAMATION] United Soils Management Ltd. v. Katie Mohammed (Ont.) (Civil) (By Leave)
• [DEFAMATION] 38657 Beacon Publishing Inc., o/a FrontLine Safety & Security, FrontLine Security Magazine, Edward R. Myers, Christina MacLean, Philip Murray, Scott Newark, Martin Rudner, John Doe and Jane Doe v. Jerry Bradwick Montour and Grand River Enterprises Six Nations Ltd. (Ont.) (Civil) (By Leave) CRTC The CRTC plans to issue the following decisions, regulatory policies and reports in the coming week. This list may be incomplete and is subject to change without notice. Broadcasting Regulatory Policy: * Amendments to the Simultaneous Programming Service Deletion and Substitution Regulations Telecom Decisions: * Follow-up to Telecom Regulatory Policy 2019-66 – Activities related to next-generation 9-1-1 network design efficiencies Public record: 1011-NOC2018-0105<https://services.crtc.gc.ca/pub/instances-proceedings/Default-Defaut.aspx?S=C&PA=T&PT=NC&PST=A>
• CISC ad hoc relief planning committee – Consensus report 450_579RE02A regarding Numbering Plan Area 450/579 Public record: 1011-NOC2018-0233<https://services.crtc.gc.ca/pub/instances-proceedings/Default-Defaut.aspx?S=C&PA=T&PT=NC&PST=A>

Upcoming Public Hearings:

• 2019-217 Co-development of a new Indigenous Broadcasting Policy
• November 5, 2019 – Gatineau, Quebec To consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2019-303
  • View hearing documents (2019-303)
• December 3, 2019 – Gatineau, Quebec To consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2019-341
  • View hearing documents (2019-341)
• Copyright Board of Canada
  • Upcoming hearings:
    • Non-Commercial Radio
      • [CMRRA: 2003-2010; CSI: 2011-2018; Re:Sound: 2013-2018]
      • Hearing: Tuesday, October 27, 2020, at 10:00 a.m., Copyright Board hearing room.
      • Schedule of Proceedings
      • Directive on Procedure
    • Background Music
      • [SOCAN: 2012-2018; Re:Sound: 2014-2018]
      • Hearing: Tuesday, December 8, 2020, at 10:00 a.m., Copyright Board hearing room.
      • Schedule of Proceedings
      • Directive on Procedure