Weekly News (July 30, 2018)

Compiled by Charnjot Shokar

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

Canadian News (July 23-29, 2018)

• [ACCESS TO INFORMATION; FAKE NEWS; OPEN GOVERNMENT] Feds promise action to ensure healthy democracy in era of ‘false information’ (National Post)
• [NET NEUTRALITY; WEB SITE BLOCKING] Court rejects Quebec’s bid to ban citizens’ access to private online gaming sites (CTV)
• [TELECOM] Canada has one of the world’s most protected telecom sectors – and the rates to show for it (Financial Post)
• [PRIVACY] Leave the phone at home: Privacy commissioner and advocates warn Canadians to keep data secure when crossing the border (Star)
• [PRIVACY] Company that owns Polo Park using facial recognition in malls without consent (CBC)
• [PRIVACY] Can your Uber or Lyft driver legally record you on their dash cam? (Globe and Mail
• [PRIVACY] Tory urged to delay buying ‘invasive’ police technology (Star)

International News (July 23-29, 2018)

• [MEDIA OWNERSHIP] Trump slams FCC ahead of House hearing (Politico, original – Washington Post)
• [CYBERSECURITY] The Cybersecurity 202: Congress isn’t happy with Trump’s cyber strategy. It wants a commission to help. (SFGate, original – Washington Post)
• [PRIVACY; PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Why Facebook just suspended another data analytics firm (Washington Post)
• [TRADEMARK] KitKat Can’t Catch a Break, Loses EU Trademark Case (NBC Philadelphia, original – NYT)
• [LAWFUL ACCESS] Law enforcement and tech firms: A disconnect (Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION; PRIVACY] India to investigate alleged Cambridge Analytica data breach (Guardian)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE; FAKE NEWS] On WhatsApp, fake news is fast – and can be fatal (Macomb Daily, original – Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Fake news, privacy and protection: Facebook finds there are no easy fixes (Globe and Mail)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION; CENSORSHIP] Facebook sets up subsidiary in China, where it’s blocked (CTV)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE; CENSORSHIP] Barefaced cheek: Rubens nudes fall foul of Facebook censors (Guardian)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Facebook takes historic plunge as scandals finally take a toll (Star)
• [PRIVACY] Report: China, Russia and Iran ramp up economic spying on US (ABC)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Second journalist from Mexican news site killed in less than a month (Globe and Mail)

Press Releases and Decisions (July 23-29, 2018)

Treasury Board Secretariat

• Canada to host world-leading open government summit in 2019
• Towards a New Open Government Guidebook

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• Rural communities in eastern Ontario will benefit from faster Internet: Internet access is more than just a convenience: communities, businesses and institutions need it to offer new services and create new opportunities

Google

• Updating government access laws for the digital age

Microsoft

• Microsoft’s Council for Digital Goods calls on US policymakers to promote digital civility
• The Ability Hacks: The story of two hackathon teams embracing the transformative power of technology
• The next wave of computing is the intelligent edge and intelligent cloud

Twitter

• Setting the record straight on shadow banning

Facebook

• Hard Questions: Who Reviews Objectionable Content on Facebook—And Is the Company Doing Enough to Support Them?
• Hard Questions: Should People Be Able to Share Their Facebook Information with Other Apps?
• Protecting Our Community in Brazil
• Watch Party Launches Around the World
• Q&A on Election Integrity
• Facebook Community Boost comes to Montana

Apple

• Apple Piazza Liberty now open in Milan

Instagram

• Stories: They’re Where Your Customers Share and Discover Things They Love

Upcoming Events

Senate of Canada

• No fixed and possible Senate sitting days this week; Senate reconvenes on September 18, 2018

Canadian House of Commons

• No fixed House of Commons sitting days this week; House reconvenes on September 17, 2018

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• National Digital and Data Consultations

Treasury Board Secretariat

• Creating Canada’s 4th Plan on Open Government 2018-20 Deadline: Aug. 13 2018

CRTC

• Anticipated releases for the week of 30 July to 3 August 2018
  • Broadcasting Decisions
    • Applications by various licensees to renew the broadcasting licences for various radio stations
    • Decision relating to the following application considered under the Commission’s Part 1 process:
      • Bell Media Inc. and 8384819 Canada Inc., partners in a general partnership carrying on business as Bell Media Canada Radio 2013 Partnership
      • CKKW-FM Kitchener – Technical changes
        • Public record for this application: 2018-0004-5
    • Decisions relating to the following applications considered by the Commission at the 16 October 2017 public hearing:
      • Cogeco Connexion Inc. Cogeco – Licence renewal for various regional terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertakings
        • Public record for applications: 2016-0951-2 and 2016-0953-8
      • Rogers Communications Canada Inc.
        • Public record for these applications: 2016-0950-5 and 2016-0949-7
        • Rogers – Licence renewal for various terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertakings
      • Shaw Cablesystems Limited and Shaw Cablesystems (VCI) Limited
        • Shaw – Licence renewal for various terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertakings
        • Public record for these applications: 2016-0959-6; 2016-0936-4; 2016-0967-9; 2016‑0960-4; 2016-0961-1; 2016-0968-7; 2016-0978-6; 2016-0980-2; 2016-0981-9; 2016-0988-5; 2016-0990-1; 2016-0991-8; 2016-0995-0; 2016-0996-8; 2016-1000-0
      • TELUS Communications Inc.
        • TELUS – Licence renewal for various terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertakings
        • Public record for these applications: 2016-0945-5 and 2016-0937-2
      • Various licensees
        • Eastlink – Licence renewal for various terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertakings
        • Public record for these applications: 2016-0938-0 and 2016-0948-9
      • Videotron Ltd.
        • Videotron Ltd. – Licence renewal for various terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertakings
        • Public record for these applications: 2016-0969-5; 2016-0952-0; 2016-0971-0; 2016‑0972-8; 2016-0973-6; 2016-0964-5; 2016-0966-1; 2016-0970-3
      • Various licensees
        • Various terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertakings – Licence renewals and imposition of requirements relating to aset-top box audience measurement system
        • Public record for these applications: 2016-0944-7, 2016-0946-3, 2016-0940-6, 2016‑0943-9, 2016-0934-8, 2017-0198-8, 2017-0197-0 and 2017-0173-0
      • Renewal of licences for various terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertakings that will expire in August 2018 – Introductory decision
  • Broadcasting Regulatory Policy
    • General authorizations for broadcasting distribution undertakings
  • CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
  • CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings