Newsletter: February 18, 2020

Weekly News (February 18, 2020)
Compiled by Leandra Greenfield with Sara Bannerman
McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(February 11-February 18, 2020)

Canadian News

• [TELECOMMUNICATION POLICY] Telus plans rollout of 5G network using Huawei technology (CBC)
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY] OPINION: Dippon: We’ve already got wireless competition — we don’t need regulatory intervention (Financial Post)
• [INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY] Ontario panel urges action to capture economic benefits of intellectual property (National Post)
• [INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY/PATENT] Shopify shows new interest in patenting; Ottawa firm ‘late to the party,’ one lawyer says (National Post)
• [PRIVACY] Sidewalk Labs-style smart tech is already being used in Ontario condo buildings. But does it help or harm us? (Toronto Star)
• [PRIVACY] Law enforcement requests for transit riders’ Presto details rose 64 per cent last year (Toronto Star)
• [PRIVACY] Toronto police chief orders officers to stop using Clearview AI software (Globe and Mail)
• [PRIVACY] Peel and Halton police reveal they too used controversial facial recognition tool (Toronto Star)
• [PRIVACY] OPINION: Owen and Ahmed: Let’s face the facts: To ensure our digital rights, we must hit pause on facial-recognition technology (Globe and Mail)
• [PRIVACY] OPINION: Okihiro: Google Classrooms: trading children’s information for free online services? (Toronto Star)
• [MEDIA OWNERSHIP] Cineplex receives shareholder approval to be acquired by Cineworld (Globe and Mail)

International News

• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Britain to Create Regulator for Internet Content (NYT)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Facebook and Twitter Face Threat of Fines in U.K. Crackdown (Bloomberg)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Australian consumer watchdog to examine anti-competitive behaviour by Google and Facebook (The Guardian)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Facebook Dating delayed after row with regulator (BBC)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Facebook Needs Regulation to Win User Trust, Zuckerberg Says (Financial Post)
• [PRIVACY] 400 Million Social Media Users Are Set to Lose Their Anonymity in India (Bloomberg)
• [PRIVACY] CIA controlled global encryption company for decades, says report (The Guardian)
• [TELECOMMUNICATION POLICY] Trump’s Antitrust Officials Get Win With T-Mobile Verdict (WSJ)
• [TELECOMMUNICATION POLICY] Trump’s Antitrust Officials Get Win With T-Mobile Verdict (WSJ)
• [INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY] Huawei stole secrets for decades, U.S. charges in new indictment against CFO and company (National Post)
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY] US warns Europe against embracing China’s 5G technology (Financial Times)
• [PLATFORM] Amazon wants to question Trump over loss of $10bn ‘war cloud’ contract (The Guardian)
• [PRIVACY] Flaw in App Bares the Personal Data of 6.5 Million Israelis (NYT)
• [PRIVACY] Senator Kirsten Gillibrand Introduces Bill To Create A Data Protection Agency (Forbes)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE/PRIVACY] As WhatsApp Tops 2 Billion Users, Its Boss Vows to Defend Encryption (WSJ)
• [PRIVACY] OPINION: Warzel: Chinese Hacking Is Alarming. So Are Data Brokers (NYT)
• [CENSORSHIP] [PLATFORM REGULATION] OPINION: Wyden: Corporations are working with the Trump administration to control online speech (Washington Post)
• [CENSORSHIP] [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] As the coronavirus spreads, China is losing its control online (Globe and Mail)
• [PRIVACY] China uses high-tech surveillance in battle against coronavirus (Globe and Mail)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] International sanctions should be used to protect journalists, free speech, Amal Clooney says in report (Globe and Mail)

(February 11-February 18, 2020)

Competition Bureau Canada

• Competition in the digital age: Competition Bureau unveils its 2020-2024 vision

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• Government of Canada strengthening corporate transparency for Canadian businesses
  • “Canadians invited to provide feedback on public registry options for who owns and controls corporations”
  • Consultation is open from February 13 – March 26, 2020

CRTC

News Releases:

• Opening remarks at the public hearing on the applications to change ownership and conditions of licence filed by Bell Canada and Groupe V Média inc.
• Telecom decision 2020-61
  [2020-02-14 11:00:00]
  City of Terrebonne – Application regarding certain terms and conditions of a draft municipal access agreement with certain carriers – Public record: 8690-V84-201704198
• Telecom order 2020-60
  [2020-02-14 11:00:00]
  Terms and conditions of access to the cable carriers’ aggregated wholesale high speed access services – Public record: Eastlink Tariff Notice 40 and 1011-NOC2018-0459
• Telecom decision 2020-59
  [2020-02-13 11:00:00]
  Sogetel inc. – Application for forbearance from the regulation of business local exchange services in the exchange of Saint-Ludger, Quebec – Public record: 8640-S4-201907180
• Telecom order 2020-58
  [2020-02-12 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Saskatchewan Telecommunications TN 366
• Telecom order 2020-57
  [2020-02-12 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc. TN 1065
• Broadcasting decision 2020-56
  [2020-02-11 11:00:00]
  APPROVED – Canadian Broadcasting Corporation – Québec and Thetford Mines, Quebec – Applications to change the authorized contours of CBV-FM-8 Thetford Mines, a rebroadcasting transmitter of the French-language radio station CBV-FM Québec, and the authorized contours of CBMC-FM Thetford Mines, a rebroadcasting transmitter of English-language radio station CBVE-FM Québec
• Telecom order 2020-55
  [2020-02-10 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on an interim basis the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc. TN 1067
• Broadcasting notice of consultation 2020-54
  [2020-02-10 11:00:00]
  Notice of hearing – 14 April 2020 – Gatineau, Quebec – Deadline for submission of interventions/comments/answers: 11 March 2020
• Broadcasting decision 2020-53
  [2020-02-07 11:00:00]
  APPROVED – Stingray Radio Inc. – Welland, Ontario – Application for authority to acquire the assets of the English-language commercial radio stations CIXL-FM Welland and CKYY-FM Welland and to obtain new broadcasting licences to continue the operation of the stations

YouTube:

• Safer Internet Day: 5 ways we’re building a safer YouTube

Microsoft:

• Digital civility at lowest level in 4 years, new Microsoft research shows

Twitter:

• US Census search prompt launch & efforts to support Census conversations
• #SaferInternetDay 2020: Creating a better internet for all

Facebook:

• Our Commitment to Keeping People Safe

Senate of Canada

• Sitting days this week: February 18-20, 2020
• Possible sitting days this week: February 21, 2020

Canadian House of Commons

• Sitting days this week: February 18-21, 2020
• Upcoming committee meetings:
  • [INDU](February 18, 2020) Industry, Science and Technology: Election of Chair
  • [JUST](February 18, 2020) Justice and Human Rights: Election of Chair
  • [ETHI](February 19, 2020) Access to Information, Privacy & Ethics: Election of Chair
  • [CHPC](February 19, 2020) Canadian Heritage: Election of Chair
  • [FAAE](February 20, 2020) Foreign Affairs and International Development: Election of Chair
  • [SECU](February 20, 2020) Public Safety and National Security: Election of Chair

 Elections Canada

• Tabling of the Report on the 43rd General Election on Tuesday, February 18, 2020

CRTC

Anticipated Releases: 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 Decision: Decision relating to the following applications considered under the Commission’s Part 1 process:
• • Dufferin Communications Inc.
    CFWC-FM Brantford and CKPC Brantford – Technical changes and licence amendments
    Public record for these applications: 2019-0312-0 and 2019-0397-2
• Telecom Decision:
  • Revocation of basic international telecommunications services licences
• Telecom Regulatory Policy:
  • Forbearance from the regulation of Canadian telecommunications common carriers’ international telecommunications service agreements or arrangements for the carriage of traffic into or out of Canada
    Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0326

Upcoming Public Hearings:

• February 18, 2020 (previously 13 January 2020) – Gatineau, Quebec
  Review of mobile wireless services. Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2019-57 and 2019-57-1
  View hearing documents (2019-57)

Open Proceedings

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

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