Weekly News (January 31st, 2023)

Compiled by Brad McNeil, Kyle Wyndham-West, and Beatrice Sunderland, with Sara Bannerman and Fenwick McKelvey

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(January 25-January 31, 2023)

Canadian News 

• [COMPETITION/TELECOM POLICY] Federal court dismisses Competition Bureau’s appeal of Rogers-Shaw takeover approval (The Globe and Mail) / La Cour d’appel rejette l’appel du Bureau de la concurrence (La Presse)
• [COMPETITION/TELECOM POLICY] OPINION:WINSECK It ain’t over: The next battleground for the Rogers-Shaw takeover is at the CRTC (The Globe and Mail)
• [PRIVACY] Home Depot did not comply with privacy law when it shared data with Meta, privacy watchdog says (The Globe and Mail) / [PRIVACY/DATA PROTECTION] Home Depot transférait des données à Facebook (La Presse)
• [MISINFORMATION] COVID misinformation may have caused thousands of deaths in Canada: report (The National Post)
• [DATA SOVEREIGNTY] Indigenous data sovereignty concerns raised as harm from residential schools continues (Prince George Citizen)
• [COMPETITION] OPINION:WUDRICK Want cheaper cellphone bills? Allow more foreign investment in telecoms (The National Post)
• [PRIVACY] MACKINNON: What happens to our data when we no longer use a social media network or publishing platform? (The Conversation)
• [INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY] Ottawa urged to issue directive to universities halting joint research with Chinese military scientists (The Globe and Mail)

International News

• [PLATFORM REGULATION/ANTITRUST] DOJ files second antitrust suit against Google, seeks to break up its ad business (CNBC)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/ANTITRUST] Tech industry cites economic downturn in antitrust defense (The Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/CYBERSECURITY] What the TikTok CEO will face when he testifies to Congress (The Washington Post)
• [CENSORSHIP] Censure et propagande: la culture comme champ de bataille en Russie postsoviétique (Le Devoir) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Ken Buck says he’s not backing down in push to check Big Tech (The Washington Post)
• [AI/LAWMAKING] ChatGPT is now writing legislation. Is this the future? (The Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Ex-Twitter engineer tells FTC security violations persist after Musk (The Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE/CONSUMER PROTECTION] Meta ferme des comptes d’influenceurs soupçonnés d’abus (La Presse)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] OPINION:WATERS A legal victory over Google could yet dent Big Tech’s armour (The Financial Times)
• [AI] The Pentagon is getting more serious about AI (The Washington Post)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Indonesian Muslims protest Quran burning in Sweden (AP News)
• [CENSORSHIP] OPINION: LEDERMAN Florida’s book ban takes censorship to the next level (The Globe and Mail)
• [PRIVACY] SC abortion ban gets hearing for first time this session (AP News)

(January 25-January 31, 2023)

United States Department of Justice

• Justice Department Sues Google for Monopolizing Digital Advertising Technologies 

Federal Court of Appeal

• January 26, 2023: Canada (Commissioner of Competition) v. Rogers Communications Inc. 

Federal Court of Canada

• January 25, 2023: Rebel News Network Ltd. v. Guilbeault 

CRTC

• Alicia Barin to the Digital Media at the Crossroads 
• Broadcasting Notice
  • Broadcasting notice of consultation 2023-6-1
    [2023-01-27 11:00:00]
    Notice of hearing – 3 May 2023 (previously 5 April 2023) – Gatineau, Quebec – Change of hearing date and correction to Item 8 – Deadline for submission of interventions/comments/answers: 9 February 2023
• Telecom Order:
  • Telecom order 2023-19
    [2023-01-26 11:00:00]
    Broadband Fund Payment Order – Approval of Claim Forms – January 2023

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• Submission of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada on Privacy during an Emergency 
• Home Depot failed to obtain customer consent before sharing personal data with Meta
• Statement by the Privacy Commissioner of Canada following an investigation into Home Depot of Canada Inc.’s compliance with PIPEDA 

Competition Bureau Canada

• Statement from the Commissioner of Competition on the Federal Court of Appeal’s decision regarding the Rogers-Shaw merger 

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• Government of Canada makes available more spectrum for higher-quality telecom services for Canadians 

Google Blog

• DOJ’s lawsuit ignores the enormous competition in the online advertising industry 

Microsoft Blog

• In the digital age, democracy depends on information literacy 

Meta

• Ending Suspension of Trump’s Accounts With New Guardrails to Deter Repeat Offenses 

Senate of Canada

• Planned and Possible Sitting Days: The Senate will sit on Tuesday January 31, 2023, and from Wednesday February 1-2, 2023, with possible sitting days on Friday February 3, 2023 and Monday February 6, 2023.
  • Bills on the agenda:
    • Bill C-18 (Online News Act), at second reading in the Senate 
    • Bill C-11 (Online Streaming Act), at third reading in the Senate 

House of Commons

• Planned and Possible Sitting Days: The House of Commons will sit on Tuesday January 31, 2023 and from Wednesday February 1- Friday February 2023 and Monday February 6, 2023. 
• (INDU): Industry, Science and Technology:
  • Wednesday February 1, 2023, 4:30 to 6:30 pm: Blockchain Technology  

CRTC

• Anticipated Releases:
  • Broadcasting Decisions: 
    • Bell Media Inc. Across Canada Complaint by Bell Media against Videotron alleging undue disadvantage and preference regarding the distribution of VRAK and ZPublic record: 2022-0359-5  

Open Proceedings

•  CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings

•  CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

Public Consultations:

• Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada 
  • Strategic Intellectual Property Program Review (November 15, 2022 to February 15, 2023) 
  • Consultation on the future of competition policy in Canada (Nov 17, 2022 to Feb 27, 2023
  • Consultation on the Spectrum Licence Renewal Process for Wireless Communication Services (WCS) Licences (January 31, 2023 to March 14, 2023)  
  • Consultation on Amending CPC-2-0-20 — Radio Frequency (RF) Fields – Signs and Access Control (January 31, 2023 to March 20, 2023) 
  • Consultation on the Spectrum Licence Renewal Process for Wireless Communication Services (WCS) Licences (January 31, 2023 to March 14, 2023) 

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

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