Weekly Newsletter for March 26, 2024

Weekly News (March 26, 2024)

Compiled by Brad McNeil with Sara Bannerman

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(March 19 – 26, 2024)

Canadian News 

• [ONLINE STREAMING ACT] Audio Streamers Warn of Higher Canada Subscription Fees Due to Pending Rules (Wall Street Journal) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/FALSE ADVERTISING] Toronto investment firm Delphia Technologies settles with U.S. regulator over ‘AI-washing’; The company agreed to pay a $225,000 fine to settle with the SEC over misleading claims that it used AI to make decisions  (Globe and Mail) 
• [CULTURAL FUNDING] Ottawa to boost Canada Music Fund after industry warnings (Globe and Mail)
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS] Bell CEO summoned to committee over job cuts after not finding time to appear (National Post) 
• [IT PROCUREMENT] The Government’s Struggles With Outsourcing Software Development (New York Times) 
• [HATE SPEECH] ‘This is a national problem’: Academics push back against antisemitism on Canadian campuses (National Post) 
• [CYBERSECURITY/PRIVACY] Some Giant Tiger customer data compromised in ‘incident’ linked to third-party vendor  (Globe and Mail) 
• [MISINFORMATION] Anti-authority narratives could tear ‘fabric of society,’ intelligence report warns (CBC) 
• [DATA PRIVACY] Could your health data be stored on U.S. servers? Lawsuit tests Ontario’s privacy safeguards (Toronto Star) 
• [ONLINE STREAMING ACT] More Canadians ditch traditional TV as streamers are ‘winning the battle’: report (Toronto Star) 
• [COPYRIGHT] Quebec parents file $1.6M suit after teacher allegedly puts kids’ art for sale online (National Post)  
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/SMART CITIES]  Toronto’s traffic jams are infamous. Here’s the new $20,000-an-intersection solution the city hopes will unsnarl them  (Toronto Star) 
• [PRIVACY] McMaster anti-cheating software breached student privacy: IPC (Hamilton Spectator) 
• [FREEDOM OF INFORMATION] OPINION: Edward Keenan: The public is paying for the World Cup and Ontario Place redevelopment, so why are the deals secret? (Toronto Star) 
• [ONLINE HARMS BILL] OPINION: Derek Hrynyshyn: The Online Harms Act doesn’t go far enough to protect democracy in Canada (The Conversation) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/COPYRIGHT] OPINION: Neal McDougall: People have rights that machines don’t. Let’s keep it that way (Toronto Star) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/CYBERSECURITY] OPINION: Robert Diab: Does TikTok pose a security threat to Canadians? (The Conversation) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE]  OPINION: Howard Levitt: Keeping the human in human resources as AI takes hold (Financial Post) 
• [JOURNALISM/MEDIA] OPINION: Kevin Newman: Bell is gutting Canadian journalism and handing a gift to the enemies of truth  (Toronto Star) 

International News

• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/REGULATION] UN adopts first global artificial intelligence resolution (Reuters) 
• [COMPETITION] Apple, Meta, Google Probed by EU Under New Digital-Competition Law (Wall Street Journal) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/PLATFORM REGULATION] Supreme Court likely to reject limits on White House social media contacts  (Washington Post) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] The Supreme Court now appears unlikely to overhaul online speech after all  (Washington Post)  
• [CENSORSHIP] Hong Kong Adopts Sweeping Security Laws, Bowing to Beijing (New York Times) 
• [COMPETITION] French competition watchdog hits Google with 250 million euro fine  (Reuters) 
• [PRIVACY] China relaxes security review rules for some data exports (Reuters)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/REGULATION] Portugal orders Sam Altman’s Worldcoin to halt data collection (Reuters)  
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/REGULATION] Italian watchdog’s AI staff struggle spotlights global challenge (Reuters) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Senators say Meta’s Zuckerberg is slow-walking child safety inquiries (Washington Post) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/PRIVACY] Senators look to ‘make the case’ to the public on TikTok ; Lawmakers say to expect more hearings before any votes.  (Washington Post) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/PRIVACY] Kenya tells TikTok to show it is complying with privacy laws (Reuters) 
• [COMPETITION/LAWSUIT] U.S. Sues Apple, Accusing It of Maintaining an iPhone Monopoly (New York Times) 
• [COMPETITION] How the Fight Against Apple Could Redefine Antitrust Law (New York Times) 
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Florida Passes Law Banning Social Media for Minors Under 14 (Wall Street Journal) 
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE/CONTENT MODERATION] Meta’s oversight board urges company to end ban on Arabic word ‘shaheed’  (Globe and Mail) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] Judge Won’t Punish Cohen For Relying On a Chatbot  (New York Times) 
• [CONTENT MODERATION/ONLINE HARMS/LAWSUIT] Musk tried to ‘punish’ critics, judge rules, in tossing a lawsuit (Washington Post) 
• [CONTENT MODERATION] Reddit’s I.P.O. Is a Content Moderation Success Story (New York Times) 
• [CONTENT MODERATION] Reddit may need to ramp up spending on content moderation, analysts say  (Reuters) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] Big Tech’s Latest Obsession Is Finding Enough Energy (Wall Street Journal) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/ELECTIONS] Deepfake Kari Lake video shows coming chaos of AI in elections  (Washington Post) 
• [PRIVACY] Why Tech Companies Are Not Your Friends: Lessons From Roku (New York Times)
• [PRIVACY] Agency opens review into how largest US airlines use personal information (Reuters) 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/COPYRIGHT] Tennessee becomes first US state with law protecting musicians from AI (Reuters)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/REGULATION] OPINION: Ted Cruz and Phil Gramm: Biden Wants to Put AI on a Leash (Wall Street Journal)  
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/CONTENT MODERATION] OPINION: Editorial Board: Government’s ‘Thinly Veiled’ Social-Media Censorship (Wall Street Journal) 

(March 19 – 26, 2024)

Competition Bureau Canada

• Competition Bureau seeks feedback on artificial intelligence and competition 

Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• Privacy Commissioner to investigate complaint related to development of ArriveCAN app
•  Keynote remarks at the 26th Annual Vancouver International Privacy & Security Summit (VIPSS)  

Global Affairs Canada

• Statement regarding Hong Kong’s adoption of a new national security law 

Democratic Institutions

• Minister LeBlanc introduces legislation to further strengthen Canada’s electoral process 
• Proposed amendments to the Canada Elections Act 

Canadian Heritage 

• Canada’s music creators to benefit from $32 million in funding for the Canada Music Fund 

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• Governments of Canada and Ontario invest over $11.4 million to bring high-speed Internet access to more than 2,600 Indigenous households in Ontario 
• Minister Champagne wraps up his participation at G7 meeting of industry, technology and digital ministers in Italy 
• CRTC Broadband Fund: Project selected in March 2024 

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission 

• News Release:
  • CRTC launches consultation to co-develop Indigenous broadcasting policy and creates Indigenous Relations Team 
  • CRTC takes action to improve cellphone coverage in northern B.C. 
• Broadcasting and Telecoms:
  • Telecom decision 2024-69
    [2024-03-22 16:00:00]
    Broadband Fund – Project funding approval for Rogers Communications Canada Inc.’s mobile wireless project in northern British Columbia – Public record: 1011-NOC2022-0325
  • Telecom order 2024-68
    [2024-03-22 16:00:00]
    Broadband Fund Payment Order – Approval of Claim Forms – March 2024 – Public records: 1011-NOC2019-0191 and 1011-NOC2019-0372
  • Broadcasting notice of consultation 2024-67
    [2024-03-22 16:00:00]
    Call for comments – Co-development of an Indigenous Broadcasting Policy – Public record: 1011-NOC2024-0067
  • Telecom order 2024-66
    [2024-03-21 16:00:00]
    Broadband Fund – Acceptance of statement of work for Keewaytinook Okimakanak’s satellite project in northern Ontario – Public record: 1011-NOC2022-0325
  • Broadcasting regulatory policy 2024-65
    [2024-03-21 16:00:00]
    Broadcasting Fees Regulations
  • Telecom order 2024-64
    [2024-03-21 16:00:00]
    Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc., TN 1207
  • Broadcasting decision 2024-63
    [2024-03-20 11:00:00]
    Persona Communications Inc. – Sudbury, Ontario – Application to revoke the broadcasting licence issued to Persona Communications Inc. for the undertaking serving Sudbury
  • Broadcasting decision 2024-62
    [2024-03-20 11:00:00]
    Bragg Communications Incorporated – Halifax, Nova Scotia – Application to revoke the broadcasting licence issued to Bragg Communications Incorporated for the undertaking serving New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island
  • Telecom order 2024-61
    [2024-03-19 11:00:00]
    Streamlined order – The Commission approves the following tariff applications: Bell Canada, TN 982 and TN 7684

Senate of Canada

• The Senate sitting and possible sitting days:  The Senate will not sit the week of March 25 to 29, 2024. The next scheduled sitting day is April 9, 2024.

House of Commons

• The House of Commons sitting and possible sitting days:  The House of Commons will not sit the week of March 25 to 29, 2024. The next scheduled sitting date is April 8, 2024.
  • Bills on the Agenda:
    • Bill C-65: An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act – At second reading in the House of Commons 
  • Meetings:
    • Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO): ArriveCAN Application: Tuesday, March 26, 2024, 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. 

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• Anticipated releases for the week of 25 to 29 March 2024:
  • The CRTC is not planning on issuing any decisions, regulatory policies and reports in the week of 25 to 29 March 2024. This is subject to change without notice. 

• Upcoming Consultation
  • Compliance and Enforcement notice of consultation 2024-43-1 [2024-03-04 11:00:00] Call for comments – Proposed conditions of service requiring implementation of the call traceback process by telecommunications service providers providing voice telecommunications services – Changes to deadlines – Public record: 1011-NOC2024-0043 
• Upcoming Hearing
  • March 25, 2024 – National Capital Region
    To consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2024-11 –  View hearing documents (2024-11)
  • April 17, 2023 – Whitehorse, Yukon
    Call for comments – Telecommunications in the Far North, Phase II – Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2022-147, 2022-147-1, 2022-147-2, 2022-147-3, 2022-147-4
    View hearing documents (2022-147)
  • May 3, 2023 – Gatineau, Quebec
    To consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2023-6, 2023-6-1, 2023-6-2 View hearing documents (2023-6)
  • May 11, 2023 – National Capital Region
    To consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2023-49, View hearing documents (2023-49)
• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

Consultations:

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

·         Share your thoughts about the regulatory framework for the Online News Act – March 13 to April 12, 2024 

·         Call for comments – Co-development of an Indigenous Broadcasting Policy – July 22, 2024 2024-67

Statistics Canada:

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

Competition Bureau

·         Competition Bureau seeks feedback on artificial intelligence and competition – Feedback can be submitted until May 4, 2024

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