Weekly Newsletter for October 24, 2023

Weekly News (October 24, 2023)

Compiled by Ian Steinberg with Sara Bannerman

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(October 18 – 24, 2023)

Canadian News 

• [ACCESS TO INFORMATION] Ottawa has declined to overhaul its access to information system, for the second time (Globe and Mail)
• [CYBERSECURITY] Chinese ‘Spamouflage’ disinformation campaign targeted Trudeau, Poilievre, says Global Affairs (Globe and Mail)
• [TECH PROCUREMENT] MPs vote to extend ArriveCan study and call witnesses on outsourced IT contracts (Globe and Mail)
• [MEDIA CONCENTRATION/TELECOM] Bell Media signs deal to buy Outfront Media’s Canadian business for $410 million (TORONTO STAR)
• [PUBLIC BROADCASTING / PRESS FREEDOM] Tories blocked from summoning CBC witnesses (National Post) 
• [PUBLIC BROADCASTING] CBC mainly remains off X, citing low traffic six months after scaling back presence (Toronto Star)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/DEFAMATION] Hamilton legislator kicked out of Ontario NDP caucus, censured by legislature (Toronto Star)
• [PRIVACY/PLATFORM REGULATION] TikTok says it wouldn’t share data with China(National Post)
• [JOURNALISM/OPINION] Opinion: Taylor Owen: We are in a crisis of knowledge – and it couldn’t have happened at a worse time (Globe and Mail)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/OPINION] Opinion: Muneeza Sheikh: Can you be fired for your social media posts on the Israel-Hamas war? (Toronto Star)

International News

• [PLATFORM REGULATION/CONTENT MODERATION] TikTok, Meta told to outline plans for illegal content (Toronto Star)
• [AI GOVERNANCE] China launches Global AI Governance Initiative, offering an open approach in contrast to US blockade (Global Times)
• [AI REGULATION] EU lawmakers face struggle to reach agreement on AI rules -sources(Reuters)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/CONTENT MODERATION] Supreme Court Lifts Limits for Now on Biden Officials’ Contacts With Tech Platforms (New York Times)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] French court states that pro-Palestinian protests should be banned case by case (Reuters)
• [CONTENT MODERATION] Pro-Palestinian creators use secret spellings, code words to evade social media algorithms (Washington Post)
• [CYBERSECURITY] The Race to Save Our Secrets From the Computers of the Future(New York Times)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Elon Musk’s X removes the New York Times’ verification badge (Washington Post)
• [AI] Behind the AI boom, an army of overseas workers in ‘digital sweatshops’(Washington Post)
• [AI] Hope or horror? The great AI debate dividing its pioneers (Guardian)
• [AI REGULATION] Microsoft to spend $3.2b in Australia as AI regulation looms(Reuters)
• [AI REGULATION] These lawmakers want you to know when you’re talking to AI (Washington Post)
• [AI/COPYRIGHT] Newspapers want payment for articles used to power ChatGPT(Washington Post)
• [AI/COPYRIGHT] Anthropic’s AI chatbot Claude is posting lyrics to popular songs, lawsuit claims (CNBC)
• [AI/COPYRIGHT] Mike Huckabee joins authors suing Microsoft, Meta over AI copyright(Washington Post)
• [AI SAFETY] Researchers Say Guardrails Built Around A.I. Systems Are Not So Sturdy(New York TImes)
• [AI SAFETY] Maybe We Will Finally Learn More About How A.I. Works (New York Times)
• [PRIVACY] Face Search Engine PimEyes Blocks Searches of Children’s Faces (New York Times)
• [PRIVACY] Clearview AI Successfully Appeals $9 Million Fine in the U.K. (New York Times)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Netflix’s password-sharing crackdown reels in subscribers as it raises prices for its premium plan (AP)

(October 18 – 24, 2023)

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission 

• Canada’ Do Not Call List: Read our Annual Report
• Broadcasting and Telecoms:
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-346
    [2023-10-23 11:00:00]
    2251723 Ontario Inc. – Montréal and surrounding areas, Quebec – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertaking serving Montréal and surrounding areas 
  • Telecom order 2023-345
    [2023-10-20 11:00:00]
    Broadband Fund – Acceptance of statements of work for TELUS Communications Inc.’s mobile and combination mobile/access/transport projects in Quebec – Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0372 
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-344
    [2023-10-19 16:00:00]
    Skigin Radio Incorporated – Woodstock First Nation, New Brunswick – Application for a broadcasting licence to operate a low-power, Indigenous (Type B Native) FM radio station in Woodstock First Nation

Copyright Board of Canada

• Annual Report 2022-2023

Global Affairs Canada

• Rapid Response Mechanism Canada detects Spamouflage campaign targeting Members of Parliament

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• Technical briefing on upcoming 3800 MHz spectrum auction

Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada

• Commissioner expresses disappointment in the Government’s response to the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics’ (ETHI) report
• Information Commissioner’s appearance before ETHI Committee

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• Appearance before the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology (INDU) on the Study of Bill C-27
• Canadian privacy regulators issue companion pieces to resolution on best interests of young people
• Commissioner to appear before Parliamentary committee to discuss privacy law reform Bill
• Privacy Commissioner appears before Parliament to discuss proposals to modernize federal privacy law
• Annual meeting of global authorities puts spotlight on privacy protection and advancing technologies
• Real Results: OPC-funded research looks at the impacts of artificial intelligence on privacy

Senate of Canada

• Canada should run security checks on all international students: Senator Downe

Supreme Court of Canada

• October 18, 2023 OTTAWA – Today, the Supreme Court of Canada heard the following appeal and reserved its decision until a later date. York Region District School Board v. Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (Ont.) (Civil) (By Leave) (40360)
• October 19, 2023 OTTAWA – Today, the Supreme Court of Canada heard and dismissed the following appeal, with reasons to follow. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation v. His Majesty the King, et al. (Man.) (Civil) (By Leave) (38992)  A plain language summary of the case will be published with the reasons. The written judgment will be available once it has been signed and issued: https://decisions.scc-csc.ca/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/20104/1/document.do

World Health Organization

• WHO outlines considerations for regulation of artificial intelligence for health

Amazon

• The latest from Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit
• Amazon’s annual Tech Survey results now available
• Amazon and Microsoft team up to protect consumers from impersonation scams
• Amazon is launching ultra-fast drone deliveries in Italy, the UK, and a third location in the U.S.
• Amazon announces 2 new ways it’s using robots to assist employees and deliver for customers
• What you need to know about the AWS AI chips powering Amazon’s partnership with Anthropic

Disney

• Tinisha Agramonte Named Chief Diversity Officer of The Walt Disney Company

Meta

• Introducing Broadcast Channels on Facebook and Messenger
• Making It Easier To Manage Your Information Across Meta’s Apps

Microsoft

• Microsoft, Amazon, and international law enforcement join forces to fight tech support fraud

OpenAI

• DALL·E 3 is now available in ChatGPT Plus and Enterprise

TikTok

• #BeCyberSmart for Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2023
• Introducing Out of Phone: TikTok Beyond the Mobile Screen

YouTube

• Investing in a multi-format news watching experience

Supreme Court of Canada  

• Scheduled Hearing: 2023-12-12 to 2023-12-13 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, et al. v. His Majesty the King, et al. (Quebec) (Criminal) (By Leave) 40371

Senate of Canada

• The Senate sitting and possible sitting days: October 24 to 27 , 2023
  • [TRCM] Study the impacts of climate change on critical infrastructure in the transportation and communications sectors October 24, 2023 9:00 AM ET
  • [TRCM] Study the impacts of climate change on critical infrastructure in the transportation and communications sectors October 25, 2023 6:45 PM ET

House of Commons

• The House of Commons sitting and possible sitting days:  October 23 to 27, 2023
  • [INDU] Bill C-27, Digital Charter Implementation Act, 2022  Oct 24, 2023 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. (EDT)
  • [INDU] Bill C-27, Digital Charter Implementation Act, 2022  Oct 26, 2023 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. (EDT)

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• Anticipated releases for the week of 23 to 27, October 2023: 
  • Broadcasting Decisions:
    • Applications by various licensees to renew the broadcasting licences for television stations 
  • Broadcasting Regulatory policy:
    •  Amendments to the Television Broadcasting Regulations, 1987 and to the Discretionary Services Regulations 
  • Telecom Decision:
    • Community Fibre Company Inc. – Application for consent to place a new pole, strand, and anchors in Franktown, Ontario, part of Beckwith Township Public record: 8690-C304-202208529
• Upcoming Hearings
  • November 20, 2023 – Gatineau, Quebec

To consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2023-138,  2023-138-1

o    We are examining what contributions traditional broadcasters and online services need to make to support Canadian and Indigenous content.

Public hearing: November 20 to December 8, 2023.

Read the agenda

View hearing documents (2023-138)

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings

• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

Consultations:

CRTC

·         Telecom

o    Telecom notice of consultation 2022-147-3: Call for comments – Telecommunications in the Far North, Phase II – Changes to procedure – Public records: 8622-S93-202008482, 1011-NOC2020-0367 and 1011-NOC2022-0147 

·         Upcoming hearings

o    The Path Forward  – November 20, 2023

o    Others

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

·         Consultation on Copyright in the Age of Generative Artificial Intelligence –December 4, 2023

Statistics Canada:

·         Census Data on Demand (CDOD) program consultative engagement – March 31, 2024

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat:

·         Creating Canada’s 6th National Action Plan on Open Government – Planned: Sept 1, 2023 to Oct 31, 2023

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

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