CRTC should do more to build public awareness: report

Fewer Canadians say they feel informed about the CRTC’s role when it comes to their safety and protection than a few years ago, suggests a public opinion survey commissioned by the regulator. Just over a quarter, or 26 per cent of Canadians, said they feel well-informed about the mandate and role of the CRTC when it comes to “ensuring Canadians’ safety and protection in the communication system,” compared to 35 per cent two years ago. The percentage that said they were very well-informed fell from nine per cent to eight per cent over that time. The CRTC-commissioned report, dated March 21, was posted online recently. The respondents were also asked whether they agreed that the CRTC is “taking measures to enhance the safety and protection of Canadians in the communication system.” The number of those who agreed fell slightly, with 13 per cent strongly agreeing with the statement, compared to 17 per cent in 2015, and 47 per cent saying they somewhat agree, down from 49 per cent two years ago. The regulator asked that question to measure its performance regarding protection-related measures, such as 911 service, the Wireless Code, and anti-spam rules, the report noted. “This research shows that more could be done to reinforce awareness of the activities the CRTC undertakes to enhance their safety and protection in the communication system,” the report said. “The telecommunications space is crowded with messaging for the public and the CRTC should work to ‘cut through the clutter’ to help educate the public.” The report suggested organizing talking points around what the CRTC does that directly affects Canadians, noting that “is understood that government regulations are not inherently interesting to most people.” It also recommended using social media to reach young people and that the CRTC focus its messaging to them on initiatives like the Wireless Code and anti-spam rules instead of telemarketing, given that younger Canadians tend to have cell phones and so are less likely to receive telemarketing calls. The survey, conducted by Environics Research Group, involved 1,000 phone interviews that were conducted in February 2017, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

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CRTC should do more to build public awareness: report

Brief | August 15, 2017

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