Newsletter: January 26, 2021

Weekly News (January 26, 2021)
Compiled by Emmanuel Appiah with Sara Bannerman
McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

The Communications Governance Discussion Group meets every few weeks by Zoom.  Email organizer Derek Hrynyshyn <derekh@yorku.ca> for details.

(January 19-25, 2021)

Canadian News

•  [PLATFORM REGULATION] After the Capitol riots, Ottawa draws lessons about social-media regulation (Toronto Star)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/NEWS MEDIA] Will Google exit Canada over new regulations? (Toronto Star)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Bloc Québécois leader stifling free speech when he blocks critics on Twitter: experts (National Post)
• [PRIVACY] Canadians want to curb online hate, national poll shows (National Post)
• [PUBLIC BROADCASTING] Private rivals argue CBC is disrupting ad market (Welland Tribune)
• [INNOVATION POLICY/INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY] Bains leaves an unfinished economic transformation (National Post)
• [CYBERSECURITY] Suspected RCMP secrecy breach fallout upgraded to ‘severe’: newly released documents (Canadian Press via CTV News)
• [PRIVACY] MindGeek may face privacy investigation (Toronto Star)
• [DEFAMATION] Subway may proceed with $210M defamation suit against CBC for show on chicken content (The National Post)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Judge trims back Skelly’s social-media ban (Toronto Star)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Nova Scotia man appeals revocation of personalized licence plate bearing surname (The Canadian Press via CTV News)
• [INTERNET REGULATION] Nunavut web service’s low speeds, high prices take on new significance amid pandemic (The Globe and Mail)
• [INTERNET REGULATION/DIGITAL DIVIDE] Opinion: Buell: Indigenous communities deserve internet on their terms (Toronto Star)

International News

•  [MEDIA OWNERSHIP] High Court Weighs FCC Rollback of Restrictions on Media Ownership (Wall Street Journal)
• [COMMUNICATIONS REGULATION] Biden selects Slaughter as acting chair of FTC, Rosenworcel as acting chair of FCC (Washington Post)
• [COPYRIGHT] Google seals content payment deal with French news publishers (Reuters)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/AI/PRIVACY]  Biden urged to protect consumers from tech giants; Technology (Reuters)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Trump Wants Back on Facebook. This Star-Studded Jury Might Let Him. (New York Times)
• [CENSORSHIP/LGBT] Hungary orders LGBT publisher to print disclaimers on children’s book (The Guardian)
• [PRIVACY/NATIONAL SECURITY] Military Intelligence Agency Says It Monitored U.S. Cellphone Movements Without Warrant (Wall Street Journal)
• [PRIVACY] Grindr is fined $11.7 million under European privacy law (New York Times)
• [PRIVACY] Monitoring of Employees Faces Scrutiny in Europe (Wall Street Journal)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/LOBBYING] Tech giants spent roughly $65 million to lobby in Washington last year (Washington Post)
• [DEFAMATION] Rudy Giuliani Sued by Dominion Voting Systems Over False Election Claims (New York Times)
• [PRIVACY/SURVEILLANCE] China’s Tencent sued over WeChat (Washington Post)
• [FREEDOM OF SPEECH] Indian comedian held over indecent jokes at show where he did not perform (The Guardian)
• [CENSORSHIP] Turkey bars Pinterest, Twitter from selling ads (Toronto Star)
•  [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Pakistan seeks to block US-based website of minority Ahmadis (Washington Post)
• [PRIVACY] Meghan seeks court ruling over ‘serious breach’ of privacy (The Associated Press via CBC News)
• [PRIVACY] Privacy complaint targets European Parliament’s virus test site (Reuters)
• [PRIVACY] India asks Facebook’s WhatsApp to withdraw privacy policy update (Reuters)
• [CENSORSHIP/BROADCASTING] Russia Pushes U.S.-Funded News Outlet Toward Exit (The New York Times)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/ONLINE EXPLOITATION] Facebook under pressure to resume scanning messages for child abuse in EU (The Guardian)
• [ANTITRUST/PLATFORM RGOVERNANCE] Alphabet CEO to chat with European antitrust chief (Hamilton Spectator)
• [PATENT] WHO platform for pharmaceutical firms unused since pandemic (The Guardian)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE/3^RD PARTY COOKIES] Google says Chrome cookie replacement plan making progress (The Associated Press via CTV News)
•  [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/ PUBLISHING] Open letter calls for publishing boycott of Trump administration memoirs (The Guardian)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE/FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Parler website partially returns with support from Russian-owned technology firm (The Guardian)
• [AI/FACIAL RECOGNITION] Privacy fears as Indian city readies facial recognition to spot harassed women (Reuters)
• [BROADCAST REGULATION] Outgoing FCC Chief Says Government Laid Groundwork for Faster Networks; (Wall Street Journal)
• [PUBLIC BROADCASTING] Editorial: The Guardian view on the BBC good value (The Guardian)

(January 19-25, 2021)

Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development

• Universal Broadband Fund–supported project will bring high-speed Internet to the Wahnapitae First Nation in Greater Sudbury

Federal Court of Appeal

• [PATENT] Canmar Foods Ltd. v. TA Foods Ltd. – 2021 FCA 7 – 2021-01-20

Ontario Superior Court of Justice

• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Ontario v. Adamson Barbecue Limited, 2020 ONSC 7679

 Federal Court of Canada

• [COPYRIGHT]  Trimble Solutions Corporation v. Quantum Dynamics Inc. – 2021 FC 63 – 2021-01-19
• [TRADEMARK] Brandstorm, Inc. v. Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. – 2021 FC 73 – 2021-01-22
• [PATENT] Swist v. MEG Energy Corp. – 2021 FC 10 – 2021-01-20

Microsoft

• The building blocks of Microsoft’s responsible AI program

Twitter

• Introducing Birdwatch, a community-based approach to misinformation

 Facebook

• A New Destination for News in the UK
• Referring Former President Trump’s Suspension from Facebook to the Oversight Board

CRTC

News Releases:

• Telecom order 2021-35, 2021-34, 2021-33
  [2021-01-22 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc. TN 1110, TN 1101, TELUS Communications Inc. TN 637
• Broadcasting decision 2021-32
  [2021-01-21 11:00:00]
  APPROVED – Bell Media Inc. – Across Canada – Application to revoke the broadcasting licence for Fashion Television Channel
• Broadcasting decision 2021-31
  [2021-01-21 11:00:00]
  APPROVED – Bell Media Inc. – Across Canada – Application to revoke the broadcasting licence for Book Television
• Telecom order 2021-30
  [2021-01-21 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Bell Canada TN 7624
• Telecom order 2021-29
  [2021-01-21 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff applications: Bell Canada TN 762, Bell MTS, a division of Bell Canada TN 828
• Telecom order 2021-28
  [2021-01-20 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff applications: Niagara Regional Broadband Network Ltd. TN 1 and TN 1A, telMAX, Inc. TN 1, CIK Telecom Inc TN 1
• Broadcasting decision 2021-27
  [2021-01-20 11:00:00]
  APPROVED – Canadian Broadcasting Corporation – Vancouver, British Columbia – Application to change the authorized contours of the transmitter for the French-language radio station CBUX-FM Vancouver
• Telecom order 2021-26
  [2021-01-20 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: DMTS, a division of Bell Canada TN 80
• Broadcasting decision 2021-25
  [2021-01-20 11:00:00]
  APPROVED – Canadian Broadcasting Corporation – Vancouver, British Columbia – Application to change the authorized contours of CBU-2-FM Vancouver, a rebroadcasting transmitter of the English-language radio station CBU Vancouver (Radio One)
• Telecom order 2021-24
  [2021-01-20 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Ontera, a division of NorthernTel, Limited Partnership TN 148
• Telecom order 2021-23
  [2021-01-20 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Ontera, a division of NorthernTel, Limited Partnership TN 147
• Telecom order 2021-22
  [2021-01-20 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc. TN 1108
• Telecom order 2021-21
  [2021-01-20 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc. TN 1104
• Telecom order 2021-20
  [2021-01-20 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc. TN 1103
• Telecom order 2021-19
  [2021-01-20 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc. TN 1102
• Telecom order 2021-18
  [2021-01-20 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc. TN 1100
• Telecom order 2021-17
  [2021-01-20 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc. TN 1097
• Telecom order 2021-16
  [2021-01-20 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc. TN 1096
• Telecom order 2021-15
  [2021-01-20 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc. TN 1094
• Broadcasting information bulletin 2021-14
  [2021-01-19 11:00:00]
  Guidelines for all licensees of broadcasting undertakings serving the province of Newfoundland and Labrador – Provincial election

Supreme Court of Canada

• The Supreme Court of Canada announced today that judgment in the following leave applications will be delivered at 9:45 a.m. EST on Thursday, January 28, 2021. This list is subject to change.

• • [Search & Seizure] Sean Patrick Mackey v. Her Majesty the Queen (Ont.) (Criminal) (By Leave) (39327)

Senate of Canada

• Planned & Possible sitting days this week: Next sitting day is February 2^nd, 2021

 Canadian House of Commons

• Planned & Possible sitting days this week: January 25-29^th, 2021
• Upcoming committee meetings:
• [CHPC] (January 29, 2021) Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage:
  • Relations between Facebook and the Federal Government;
    • Appearing
      • Hon. Steven Guilbeault, P.C., M.P., Minister of Canadian Heritage
    • Witnesses

• Department of Canadian Heritage
• Hélène Laurendeau, Deputy Minister
• Jean-Stéphen Piché, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Cultural Affairs

• • • 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
    • Witnesses

• Facebook Inc.
• Kevin Chan, Global Director and Head of Public Policy, Facebook Canada
• Marc Dinsdale, Head, Media Partnerships, Facebook Canada
• Rachel Curran, Policy Manager, Facebook Canada

• • Challenges to Art, culture, Heritage and Sport Sectors caused by COVID-19
    • Consideration of draft report

CRTC

Open Proceedings

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

Anticipated releases for the week of January 25-29, 2021

The CRTC plans to issue the following decisions and/or regulatory policies in the coming week. This list may be incomplete and is subject to change without notice.

      Broadcasting Decision:

Decisions relating to the following applications considered under the Commission’s Part 1 process:

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

      Telecom Decisions:

• Bell Canada – Application seeking exemption from certain reporting requirements pursuant to Telecom Regulatory Policy 2018-466
  Public record: 8662-B2-201912626

Public Hearings

• To consider the broadcasting application listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2020-396 – View hearing documents (2020-396) (February 25, 2021)

Open Public Consultations:

• Justice: Modernizing Canada’s Privacy Act – Public Consultation (January 17, 2021)
• Consultation on the Technical and Policy Framework for Licence-Exempt Use in the 6 GHz Band(January 19, 2021)
• CRTC: Share your views and ideas on telecommunications services in Northern Canada: Nov 2, 2020 to Jan 20, 2021
• Communication & Statistics: StatCan+ beta consultation: Dec 18, 2020 to Jan 29, 2021