Weekly Newsletter for February 4, 2025

Weekly News (February 4, 2025)

Compiled by Brad McNeil and Serra Hasiloglu with Sara Bannerman

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(January 29 – February 4, 2025)

Canadian News

• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] DeepSeek buzz shows the game is not over for AI companies(Financial Post)
• [BIG TECH/ONLINE NEWS ACT] Google payments for news organizations to begin later than expected (Financial Post)
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS/BILL C-26] Telecoms divided over directive to remove Chinese equipment from 5G networks after cybersecurity bill abandoned (Globe and Mail)
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS] Rogers navigating federal immigration policies, tariff threat as profits rise (Toronto Star)
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS] CRTC looking into inmate phone call rates in Canada following Ontario case (CBC)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/DATA CENTERS] Alberta’s $100B AI data centre plan ‘in no way’ undermined by DeepSeek shakeup, province says (CBC)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/DATA CENTERS/INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES] First Nation says it wasn’t consulted on celebrity businessman’s proposed data centre project (AN News)
• [BROADCASTING/INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES] Uvagut TV airwaves reach Canadian-wide audiences (Hamilton Spectator)
• [MISINFORMATION] Mark Carney and Chrystia Freeland are targets of abuse and conspiracy theories, report says (Toronto Star)
• [ONLINE HARMS/HATE SPEECH] Fredericton MP Jenica Atwin says online hate helped push her out of federal politics (Global News)
• [HATE SPEECH] Charges laid against Hamilton man after online posts threaten Jewish community (Hamilton Spectator)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/ ENERGY] Alberta natural gas producers offering deals to lure power-hungry data centres to province (Financial Post)
• [ONLINE STREAMING ACT/BROADCASTING] It’s not TV, but it’s not just HBO, either: Crave marks 10 years in trenches of streaming wars (Globe and Mail)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] Funding for Canadian scripted shows, children’s TV facing steep decline, report says (Toronto Star)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] New CBC chief says it would be a ‘tragedy’ to dissolve the public broadcaster, could devastate TV and film sector (Globe and Mail)
• [DISINFORMATION] Does Canada really need a new government agency to guard against foreign interference? (Toronto Star)
• [CRYPTOCURRENCY] After Trump’s foray into cryptocurrency, we explore what the technology is, and if it’s safe (Hamilton Spectator)
• [CRYPTOCURRENCY/DATA CENTERS] Canadian bitcoin miner Bitfarms mulls pivot to AI data centers (Reuters)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] How artificial intelligence will boost demand for copper (Globe and Mail)
• [COMPETITION] Ticketmaster settles $6M class action over hidden fees. Here’s how much you could get (Toronto Star)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] OPINION: Mark Daley and Alejandro Adem: Can human researchers flourish in the age of intelligent machines? (Toronto Star)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] OPINION: John Rapley: The beginning of Chinese AI is the end of the American golden age (Globe and Mail)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] OPINION: Michael McEwen, Mark Starowicz and Kealy Wilkinson: Kill the CBC? Why not just shoot Canada in the foot instead? (Globe and Mail)

International News

• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] DeepSeek gives Europe’s tech firms a chance to catch up in global AI race (Reuters)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/PRIVACY] French privacy watchdog to quiz DeepSeek on AI, data protection (Reuters)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] DeepSeek blocked from some app stores in Italy amid questions on data use (Guardian)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/PRIVACY] South Korea privacy watchdog to ask DeepSeek about personal information use (Reuters)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Taiwan bans government departments from using DeepSeek AI due to security concerns (Globe and Mail)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/CHILD ABUSE MATERIAL] UK makes use of AI tools to create child abuse material a crime (Reuters)
• [PERSONAL INFORMATION] Elon Musk’s Team Now Has Access to Treasury’s Payments System(New York Times)
• [PERSONAL INFORMATION/IMMIGRATION] Trump administration seeking access to database of immigrant minors (Washington Post)
• [AI CHIPS] President Trump to meet with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang at the White House(Associated Press)
• [AI CHIPS] Trump says new tariffs on computer chips, semiconductors are coming soon(Washington Post)
• [AI CHIPS] DeepSeek’s Rise Exposes Nvidia’s Weakness (Wall Street Journal)
• [AI CHIPS] Lawmakers urge Donald Trump to consider new curbs on Nvidia chips used by China’s DeepSeek (Reuters)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/COPYRIGHT] AI’s use in art, movies gets a boost from Copyright Office (Washington Post)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/CENSORSHIP] How Does DeepSeek’s A.I. Chatbot Navigate China’s Censors? Awkwardly. (New York Times)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/INNOVATION] Who is Liang Wenfeng, the founder of DeepSeek?(Reuters)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/ENERGY] Chevron Joins Race to Generate Power for A.I. (New York Times)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/ENERGY] DeepSeek hits energy-related business share prices and growth outlook (Financial Post)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] How to Reduce AI Chatbot Hallucinations (Wall Street Journal)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] DeepSeek advances could heighten safety risk, says ‘godfather’ of AI 
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] Alibaba releases AI model it says surpasses DeepSeek (Reuters)
• [BIG TECH/POLITICS] Meta will pay $25 million to settle Trump lawsuit alleging censorship(Washington Post)
• [BIG TECH/ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] OpenAI’s Sam Altman and SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son Are AI’s New Power Couple (Wall Street Journal)
• [BIG TECH] Microsoft shares slide as cloud forecast, AI spending disappoint (Reuters)
• [BIG TECH] Meta sends mixed signals as quarterly sales beat estimates but outlook muted(Reuters)
• [BIG TECH] Apple’s holiday-quarter sales likely dented by AI delays, Chinese competition(Reuters)
• [BIG TECH] Amazon Raises Its Ad Spending on Elon Musk’s X, in Major Reversal (Wall Street Journal)
• [BIG TECH/COMPETITION] New CMA chair will have to assess curbs on his former employer Amazon (Guardian)
• [PRIVACY] Lawsuit accuses Amazon of secretly tracking consumers through cellphones (Reuters)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Student Whose Racy Social Media Posts Riled a College Gets $250,000 Settlement (New York Times)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] OPINION: Dhaval Adjodah and Eric Schmidt: Will China’s open-source AI end U.S. supremacy in the field? (Washington Post)

(January 29 – February 4, 2025)

Federal Court of Appeal

• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS] Bell Canada v. Canada (the King) – 2025 FCA 27

Federal Court of Canada

• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS] Mobile Telesystems Public Joint Stock Company v. Canada (Attorney General) – 2025 FC 181

Democratic Institutions Canada

• Statement:
  • Statement from Minister Sahota and Minister McGuinty on the Final Report from the Commissioner for the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions
• Backgrounder:
  • Protecting Canada’s Democratic Institutions and Processes from Foreign Interference

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• Advice to Parliament:
  • Letter to the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics on study on privacy breaches at the Canada Revenue Agency
• Submissions to Consultations:
  • OPC Submission on proposed amendments to the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Regulations

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• News release:
  • CRTC takes action to help bring fibre Internet to three communities in British Columbia and the Yukon
• Backgrounder:
  • CRTC Broadband Fund: Project selected in January 2025
• Broadcasting and Telecoms:
  • Telecom order 2025-38
    [2025-01-31 11:00:00]
    Streamlined order – The Commission approves the following tariff application: Télébec, Société en commandite, TN 557
  • Telecom decision 2025-37
    [2025-01-31 11:00:00]
    TELUS Communications Inc. – Application to review and vary Telecom Regulatory Policy 2024-180 or otherwise extend its implementation date – Public record: 8662-T66-202405597
  • Telecom order 2025-36
    [2025-01-31 11:00:00]
    Streamlined order – The Commission approves on an interim basis the following tariff applications: Northwestel Inc., TN 1237 and TN 1238
  • Telecom order 2025-35
    [2025-01-31 11:00:00]
    Streamlined order – The Commission approves on an interim basis the following tariff application: Bell Canada, TN 7701
  • Telecom order 2025-34
    [2025-01-31 11:00:00]
    Broadband Fund payment order – Approval of claim forms – January 2025 – Public records: 1011-NOC2019-0191 and 1011-NOC2019-0372
  • Broadcasting information bulletin 2025-33
    [2025-01-30 11:00:00]
    Guidelines for all licensees of broadcasting undertakings serving the province of Ontario – Provincial election
  • Broadcasting decision 2025-32
    [2025-01-30 11:00:00]
    Durham Radio Inc. – Peterborough and Lindsay, Ontario – Application for authority to acquire from Bell Media Regional Radio Partnership the assets of the English-language commercial radio stations CKPT-FM Peterborough, CKQM-FM Peterborough and CKLY-FM Lindsay
  • Broadcasting decision 2025-31
    [2025-01-30 11:00:00]
    Pattison Media Ltd. – Kelowna, British Columbia – Application for authority to acquire, from Radius Holdings Inc., as part of a corporate reorganization, the assets of the English-language commercial radio station CKOV-FM Kelowna
  • Telecom decision 2025-30
    [2025-01-30 11:00:00]
    Broadband Fund – Project funding approval for CityWest Cable & Telephone Corp.’s transport fibre project in northern British Columbia and southern Yukon – Public record: 1011-NOC2022-0325
  • Broadcasting decision 2025-29
    [2025-01-29 11:00:00]
    Bell Media Inc. – Halifax and Caledonia, Nova Scotia – Application to amend the broadcasting licence for the English-language television station CJCH-DT Halifax to delete the analog rebroadcasting transmitter CJCH-TV-6 Caledonia
  • Broadcasting decision 2025-28
    [2025-01-29 11:00:00]
    Bell Media Inc. – Winnipeg and Brandon, Manitoba – Application to amend the broadcasting licence for the English-language television station CKY-DT Winnipeg to delete the analog rebroadcasting transmitter CKYB-TV Brandon
  • Broadcasting decision 2025-27
    [2025-01-29 11:00:00]
    Canadian Broadcasting Corporation – Prince George and Granisle, British Columbia – Application to amend the broadcasting licence for the English-language radio station CBYG-FM Prince George in order to operate a new FM transmitter in Granisle
  • Broadcasting decision 2025-26
    [2025-01-29 11:00:00]
    Canadian Broadcasting Corporation – Whitehorse and Carmacks, Yukon – Application to amend the broadcasting licence for the English-language radio station CFWH-FM Whitehorse in order to operate a new FM transmitter in Carmacks
  • Telecom order 2025-25
    [2025-01-28 11:00:00]
    Streamlined order – The Commission approves the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc., TN 1180
  • Telecom order 2025-24
    [2025-01-28 11:00:00]
    Streamlined order – The Commission approves the following tariff application: Bell MTS, a division of Bell Canada, TN 851
  • Telecom order 2025-23
    [2025-01-28 11:00:00]
    Streamlined order – The Commission approves the following tariff application: Télébec, Société en commandite, TN 533
  • Telecom decision 2025-22
    [2025-01-28 11:00:00]
    Regional County Municipality of D’Autray – Application regarding costs for corrective work to support structures – Public record: 8633-M168-202402171
  • Telecom order 2025-21
    [2025-01-28 11:00:00]
    Bell Canada, Saskatchewan Telecommunications, and TELUS Communications Inc. – Amended support structure service tariffs – Public records: Bell Canada Tariff Notices 977 and 978; Saskatchewan Telecommunications Tariff Notice 377; and TELUS Communications Inc. Tariff Notices 580, 655, and 655A

United Nations

• African schools gear up for the AI revolution

OpenAI

• Strengthening America’s AI leadership with the U.S. National Laboratories
• Introducing deep research

Meta

• Our Approach to Frontier AI
• Expanding GenAI Transparency for Meta’s Ads Products
• Reflecting on Meta’s $8 Billion Investment in Privacy

Google

• AI and the future of national security

Apple

• Apple reports first quarter results

Microsoft

• The value of AI: How Microsoft’s customers and partners are creating differentiated AI solutions to reinvent how they do business today

Senate of Canada

• The Senate sitting and possible sitting days:  Parliament is prorogued – The prorogation of the first session of the 44^th Parliament was proclaimed on January 6, 2025. Parliamentary business, including committee business (other than the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senatorsand the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight), is ended and will reconvene on March 24, 2025 for the second session of the 44^th Parliament.

House of Commons

• The House of Commons sitting and possible sitting days:  The 1st session of the 44th Parliament was prorogued on January 6, 2025. Prorogation occurs when the Governor General, on the advice of the Prime Minister, issues a proclamation putting an end to a parliamentary session. In practice, as soon as Parliament is either prorogued or dissolved, all committee activity ceases and, as such, all orders of reference and committee studies lapse. 

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• Anticipated releases for the week of 3 to 7 February 2025:
  • The CRTC plans to issue the following decisions, notices of consultation, orders and/or regulatory policies in the week of 3 to 7 February 2025. This is subject to change without notice. 
  • Telecom Decisions:
• Reconsideration of Telecom Decision 2023-358
  Public record: 1011-NOC2024-0292
• TELUS Communications Inc. – Long term connectivity options for three remote regions in British Columbia
  Public records: 8000-C12-202400282 and 8663-T66-202402246
• Upcoming hearings:
  • February 11, 2025 – Yellowknife (Northwest Territories)
    To consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2024-213 – View hearing documents (2024-213)
  • March 27, 2025 – National Capital Region
    Notice of hearing – The Commission intends to consider the following applications, subject to interventions, without the appearance of the parties in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2025-18 – View hearing documents (2025-18
  • March 31, 2025 – Gatineau (Québec)
    Notice of hearing – The Path Forward – Defining “Canadian program” and supporting the creation and distribution of Canadian programming in the audio-visual sector in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2024-288 – View hearing documents (2024-288)            
  • May 12, 2025 – Gatineau (Québec)
    Notice of hearing -The Path Forward – Working towards a sustainable Canadian broadcasting system – Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2025-2 – View hearing documents (2025-2)
  • June 10, 2025 – Gatineau (Québec)
    Notice of hearing – Making it easier for consumers to shop for Internet services – Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2024-318 – View hearing documents (2024-318)
• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

Consultations:

Spectrum Management Consultations

• Consultation on Changes to Licensing Requirements and Conditions of Licence on Space Debris Mitigation – Respondents should submit their comments no later than February 25, 2025 to ensure consideration 

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• (Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2025-20) Call for comments – Improving the routing of 9-8-8 calls and texts –  Deadline for submission of replies: 10 March 2025 
• (Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2024-294-1) Call for comments – Making it easier to choose a wireless phone or Internet service – Removing barriers to switching plans – Changes to procedure – Revised deadline for submission of replies: 14 March 2025  
• (Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2024-295-1) Call for comments – Making it easier to choose a wireless phone or Internet service – Enhancing self-service mechanisms – Revised deadline for submission of replies: 12 March 2025   
• (Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2024-293-1) Call for comments – Making it easier to choose a wireless phone or Internet service – Enhancing customer notification – Changes to procedure – Revised deadline for submission of replies: 28 February 2025   
• (Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2025-10) Call for comments – Implementing a retail Internet service subsidy in the Far North – Deadline for submission of replies: 28 February 2025
• Share your thoughts on enhancing self-service – End date: March 12, 2025
• Share your thoughts about removing barriers to switching plans – End date: February 28, 2025
• Share your thoughts on market dynamics and sustainability of Canada’s broadcasting system – End date: February 24, 2025 
• Share your thoughts on making shopping for Internet easier – End date: February 20, 2025
• Share your thoughts on the implementation of an Internet subsidy in the Far North –  End date: February 18, 2025 
• Share your thoughts about enhancing customer notification – End date: February 14, 2025

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