Google says Canada pursuing unique approach to news compensation

Canada’s pending news media compensation legislation is based on key objectives and principles that Alphabet Inc.’s Google says is important when working with governments  to create thoughtful internet regulations concerning platforms, something which the search engine has “not seen elsewhere,” according to its vice-president of news. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a …

B.C. court greenlights 1 of 3 class actions against Google for non-consensual data collection

A Supreme Court of British Columbia judge has temporarily stayed two separate class-action lawsuits against Alphabet Inc.’s Google, pending a final determination on the class-action certification of a third lawsuit aiming to represent users of all devices (including Android and Apple Inc.’s iOS smartphones) and on behalf of all users located in Canada, excluding Ontario …

Quebec court moves ahead with proposed class-action against Google

A Quebec Superior Court judge has rejected an application by Alphabet Inc.’s Google to dismiss, or alternatively stay, the proceedings of a proposed class action lawsuit which alleges that the company “is collecting personal information on individuals who use Google websites and third-party websites which integrate its tools” without obtaining sufficient consent. This content is …

NDP’s McPherson moves to deputy Heritage critic, Masse remains with Innovation, gets deputy

Two new faces will be stepping into critic roles for the NDP in the Canadian Heritage and Innovation, Science and Industry files respectively, after the party announced its shadow cabinet in a Friday press release.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …

Google expands News Showcase program 

Alphabet Inc.‘s Google is expanding its News Showcase program, announcing Wednesday that it has signed agreements with three new Canadian news platforms — Les Coops de l’Information, Le Devoir and Torstar.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital …

Court orders Google to turn over documents to Competition Bureau

The Federal Court has ordered Alphabet Inc.‘s Google to turn over a number of records to the Competition Bureau after the regulator requested the documents as part of its investigation into what it suspects are anti-competitive practices involving the sale of advertising on YouTube. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign …

Competition Bureau asks Court to compel Google records disclosure in inquiry into YouTube ad sales

The Competition Bureau has asked a Federal Court to require Alphabet Inc.‘s Google to produce records it needs as part of an investigation the regulator is conducting into allegations that Google is “leveraging its market power in the supply of in-stream video advertising space into adjacent advertising technology markets.” This content is available to wirereport.ca …

Google seeks to appeal court decision on PIPEDA application 

Alphabet Inc.’s Google is appealing a July court decision that determined that federal privacy law did in fact apply to the company after the matter was brought forward in a reference case by the federal privacy watchdog.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …

News advocacy group calls for action on content compensation legislation

A group representing news outlets in Canada has put out a call to Premier Justin Trudeau’s government to put in place legislation that would require Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Facebook Inc. to compensate outlets when their content appears on their platforms.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

Heritage committee wants Zuckerberg’s answers

During a hearing on Facebook, Inc.’s relationship with the federal government Monday, multiple members of the  House of Commons Heritage committee questioned the social media giant’s Canadian boss, Kevin Chan, on why CEO Mark Zuckerberg has so far declined to appear. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

Facebook’s Australian news blockade won’t deter us: Guilbeault

The day after Facebook Inc. made good on its threat to block all news from being shared on its platform within Australia, Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault denounced the move and said he would press ahead.   This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …

Journalistic exemption under PIPEDA should apply to Google: CBC

In a case that could determine whether a “right to be forgotten” exists in Canada — and whether search engine results on Alphabet Inc.‘s Google would be considered journalistic and thus exempt from de-indexing requests — CBC/Radio-Canada has told Federal Court that Google search results should fall under journalistic protections.  This content is available to …

Google $1B news initiative won’t stop new legislation, gov’t says

An announcement Thursday from Alphabet Inc.‘s Google that it would put aside $1 billion to spend on news publishers around the world — including two in Canada — has not dissuaded the Liberal government from its plan to require web giants to compensate Canadian news producers for their content.  This content is available to wirereport.ca …

Throne speech reiterates rural broadband, web giant promises

In Wednesday’s throne speech kicking off Parliament’s return, the Liberal government repeated previous commitments to introduce new rules for large foreign digital companies and accelerate rural broadband builds. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you …

Back to Parliament: your (pandemic) preview

Given the precarious situation around the now-escalating COVID-19 pandemic, what will actually be included in Wednesday’s speech from the throne, and in the government’s priorities in the following weeks, is more uncertain than ever. With a day to go, even the details of exactly what a hybrid and virtual sitting will look like are still …

Google not shielded by journalistic protections, OPC tells court

Privacy commissioner Daniel Therrien has urged Federal Court to find the country’s private sector privacy law applies to the indexing of online content conducted by Alphabet Inc.’s Google, in a reference case seeking to determine if the law applies to search engine de-indexing and delisting.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? …

Guilbeault doubles down on web giant legislation plans

Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault Wednesday denounced what he called “threats” from Facebook Inc. to block the sharing of news content on its platforms if an Australian proposal to force the company to pay local news outlets for content makes its way into law.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …

CIPPIC and CBC can intervene in de-indexing case, court rules

Federal Court has said that both the CBC/Radio-Canada and the Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy & Public Interest Clinic at the University of Ottawa (CIPPIC) can intervene in a case that could help determine whether a Canadian “right to be forgotten” exists. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

Privacy commissioner hasn’t approved new gov’t contact tracing app

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that in developing the federal government’s new voluntary app to trace exposure to the COVID-19 virus, it consulted the Office of The Privacy Commissioner, but a statement from the OPC indicated the office has not approved the app Trudeau announced Thursday. “The privacy commissioner has been worked with on …

Google exec outlines privacy measures in new contact-tracing API

Colin McKay, head of public policy and government relations for Canada for Alphabet Inc.’s Google, told the House industry committee that Google and Apple Inc. have designed their new application programming interface (API) for tracing exposure to COVID-19 to avoid compromising user privacy. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …

Google’s Sidewalk Labs pulls out of Toronto smart city project

Alphabet Inc.’s Google will no longer participate in the Sidewalk Labs smart city project in Toronto. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report now. …

Quebec news funding will help with Google, Facebook dominance: Le Devoir

As the Canada Revenue Agency considers how to administer $595-million worth of tax credits it pledged to news media, the Quebec government has unveiled a newspaper assistance strategy that some say will help digital media navigate an environment dominated by foreign technology giants.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …

Ethics committee grills Google over political ads decision

OTTAWA — In an at-times tense hearing of the House of Commons ethics committee, executives from the Canada office of Alphabet Inc.’s Google made the case that the company was technologically unable to sell political advertisements on its platforms in a way that would comply with Bill C-76. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers …

Court rejects Google motion to expand scope of deindexing case

A chief Federal Court clerk has rejected Alphabet Inc.’s request to expand to constitutional questions the scope of a legal reference that seeks to determine whether Canada’s private sector privacy law applies to its search engine. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …

Google would be regulating media under PIPEDA: counsel

OTTAWA — If a court determines Google’s search engine falls under the country’s private sector privacy law, then that would effectively make the internet company a media regulator, counsel to Alphabet Inc. said in Federal Court on Thursday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …

OPC, AGC oppose Google expanding deindexing reference

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner and the Attorney General of Canada (AGC) have filed appeals challenging Alphabet Inc.’s application to expand the scope of a deindexing case to include questions about whether forcing it to scrub its search engine infringes on its free expression rights. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a …

Google won’t run political ads in 2019 election

Alphabet Inc.’s search giant Google plans to ban political advertising from its platforms during the next federal election campaign in Canada, following the introduction of tougher political advertising transparency rules by the Liberal government. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …

Media parties dismissed in deindexing case, for now

The Federal Court has denied the CBC/Radio-Canada’s and the Media Coalition’s application to intervene in a case that will determine whether the privacy commissioner can order search engines to delist certain content — at least until it deliberates on Alphabet Inc.’s motion to change the scope of proceedings.   This content is available to wirereport.ca …

YouTube top source of mobile traffic: Sandvine

Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube makes up just over 35 per cent of worldwide mobile data traffic, making it the biggest download draw on phones by a wide-margin, according to Sandvine Corp.’s Mobile Phenomena Report released Monday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …

OPC’s deindexing position ‘indirect attack’ on CBC, lawyer says

OTTAWA — A lawyer for CBC/Radio-Canada who is asking the Federal Court to allow it to intervene in a case that could determine if the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) can order search engines to delist results said allowing deindexing would harm the public broadcaster’s ability to educate the public. This content is available …

Don’t exclude online services from Broadcasting Act: Private radio

Canada’s private radio broadcasters are fighting against a push to keep online services out of Canada’s broadcast laws, according to a submission sent to the Liberal government’s expert panel review of the future of Canada’s communications laws. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …

YouTube limiting promotion of conspiracy videos and ‘borderline content’

Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube says it plans to tamp down on the spread of misleading, fake or conspiratorial video content that gets recommended for its users to watch by limiting the promotion of alarming videos that still get around the rules for publishing. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …

Preventing LGBTQ content discrimination raised in BTLR consults

The CEO of an independent specialty TV channel is raising concerns that a lack of regulation could let foreign-based digital companies operating in Canada de-monetize or discriminate against types of Canadian content based on cultural values, such as works made by the LGBTQ community. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign …

Platforms could pull out of Canadian market if regulated: Google

Alphabet Inc.’s Google already contributes to the Canadian creative system by providing the infrastructure for users to upload and share their content and enabling them to earn revenue from it, the company is telling the federal review of Canada’s communications legislation. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

Most Canadians support ‘right to be forgotten’: poll

Canadians appear to be generally in favour of the ‘right to be forgotten’, with most showing support for the idea and a majority saying they would support having it set out in Canadian law, according to a poll released Monday by the Angus Reid Institute. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? …

Google Canada on the defense over Google+, Sidewalk Labs

Colin McKay, head of public policy and government relations for Alphabet Inc.’s Google Canada, faced critical questions about his parent company’s activities from MPs of all political stripes on Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …

OPC asks for more flexibility on info sharing with CRTC

OTTAWA — Canada’s federal privacy watchdog asked a Senate committee Tuesday to increase his office’s information sharing abilities with the CRTC and Competition Bureau when consumer protection and privacy issues intersect. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …

OPC inquiring about Google+ leak

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) said it is gathering more information about whether the personal information of Canadians was implicated in a leak involving an Alphabet Inc. social network. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital …

Google Canada asks MPs for Copyright Board reform

OTTAWA — Alphabet Inc.’s Google wants to see the Copyright Board of Canada tariff setting process simplified, its government relations counsel told members of Parliament Thursday, but at the same time he said a legislative overhaul of the Copyright Act isn’t necessary to deal with artist remuneration. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a …

OPC to seek court reference on search engine delisting

OTTAWA — Federal privacy commissioner Daniel Therrien says he plans to ask the Federal Court for a reference on whether the private sector’s privacy law applies to search engine de-indexing. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …

Class action filed against Facebook over Android metadata collection

Facebook Inc. is facing another class action suit in Ontario over how it handles user privacy in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal – this time, specifically over how it collected and used Android phone metadata. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …

EU copyright directive passes

The European Parliament passed its copyright directive Wednesday, with some amendments to the controversial articles 11 and 13. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire …

EU committee approves internet filtering copyright directive

A European Union committee has approved a controversial copyright directive that critics say could interfere with the sharing of online content. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe …

YouTube Premium, YouTube Music available in Canada

Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube said Monday that its subscription platform YouTube Premium and its YouTube Music service are now available in Canada. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe …

Balsillie-led Centre for Digital Rights registers to lobby

A new organization called the Centre for Digital Rights (CDR) that is looking to create a national data strategy has registered to lobby the government after its co-founder Jim Balsillie told a House of Commons ethics committee this month that internet giants are engaging in “surveillance capitalism.” This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already …

MPs hear about ‘surveillance capitalism,’ Google data use

OTTAWA — Two sides of the data-use debate squared off at the House ethics committee Thursday, with the Canadian head of public policy at Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Colin McKay, justifying his company’s treatment of data while ex-tech CEO Jim Balsillie spoke about the dangers of “surveillance capitalism.” This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already …

Senate committee to look into issue of tax on foreign ads

OTTAWA — The chairman of the Senate transport and communications committee said Tuesday that he will look to hold hearings on the possibility of taxing advertising on non-Canadian internet platforms. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …

B.C. court dismisses Google case in Equustek

A British Columbia court said it will not set aside or change a provincial court decision to force Alphabet Inc. to remove an alleged bad actor from its search results, pointing to weak new evidence brought by Google that experts say made for an unsurprising decision. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a …

Equustek case back in B.C. court over internet jurisdiction

A British Columbia court will not delay hearing a challenge brought by Alphabet Inc. against a worldwide search result ban a previous court ordered, in a case that law professor Michael Geist says could have implications for how the courts deal with jurisdiction issues when it comes to the internet. This content is available to …

Ian Morrison steps down from watchdog Friends

Ian Morrison, the co-founder of Friends of Canadian Broadcasting, is handing over the reins of the organization after 32 years leading the watchdog. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or …

CRTC asks digital giants for info, promises confidentiality

As part of its government-ordered proceeding on future content distribution models, the CRTC is asking a number of companies — including Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Netflix Inc. — for information about their digital media broadcasting revenues, subscribers and viewing in Canada. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

OPC says search engine de-indexing right exists in Canada

Canadians have the right to ask search engines to remove links to results in some cases, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) said in a report released Friday, which concluded individuals can challenge the accuracy and completeness of, as well as the extent to which search results involving their name are up-to-date. …

Alphabet takes aim at cybercrime

In a blog post on Wednesday, Alphabet Inc.’s ‘moonshot factory’ X announced the details of its latest spinoff company — one that aims to combat cybercrime through the use of big data analytics and machine learning. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …

Bell intros product for improved home internet

In a release on Wednesday, BCE Inc. said it launched its residential mesh WiFi product. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report now. FREE …

BroadbandTV opens mobile game-making division

In a release on Wednesday, digital media company BroadbandTV Corp. (BBTV) announced the launch of a mobile game development division with an eye to creating content to be featured by its streaming talent. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …

Sidewalk Labs, civil liberties group register to lobby

Alphabet Inc.’s Sidewalk Labs kicked off the new year by registering to lobby the federal government, while telecom and broadcasting communications in November grew significantly from the month before. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news …

Automated advertising set to grow in Canada: report

Canadian programmatic digital ad spending will account for two-thirds of display advertising by 2018, says a recent report from market research company eMarketer Inc. released on Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. …

SCC wrestles with scope of harm in online libel case

OTTAWA — Canada’s highest court should prepare for consequences wrought on Canadian media in other countries, if it determines that a libel case — based on a foreign news article read by Canadians over the internet — can be tried in an Ontario court, the Supreme Court heard Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers …

Tech giants increasing grip on advertising in Canada: report

While the total amount of advertising money flowing to Canadian media has largely sustained a flat trajectory over the years, internet giants Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Facebook Inc. have increased their share of internet ads — and consequently the overall  advertising market in the country, according to a new estimate. This content is available to …

Canadian classics released on YouTube

The Canada Media Fund (CMF) last week announced the release of hundreds of Canadian television and feature films to the Encore+ channel on Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take …

Google doesn’t have to comply with SCC order: U.S. court

Alphabet Inc.’s Google does not have to comply with an order from Canada’s highest court to remove from its search engine certain results in the United States, a U.S. court ruled Thursday, invoking a free expression argument which some experts say was not one that the Supreme Court of Canada fully considered in its original …

Google building smart community in Toronto

Alphabet Inc.’s Sidewalk Labs have won a City of Toronto request for proposals to create a development plan called Sidewalk Toronto, which aims to design a high-tech neighbourhood with smart city infrastructure on an 800-acre piece of Toronto’s eastern waterfront. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …

Sabrina Geremia named permanent Google Canada head

Sabrina Geremia is the new country director for Alphabet Inc.’s Google Canada. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report now. FREE TRIAL Two weeks …

Telus leads in end-of-summer lobbying activity

Telus Corp. was far and away the busiest industry stakeholder when it came to reportable lobbying activity with the federal government last month, filing a total of 16 communication reports in August — twice as many as lobbying runner-up Rogers Communications Inc. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …

Google linking names under publication bans with articles: report

Algorithms used by Alphabet Inc.’s Google have been linking stories regarding individuals whose identities are under court-ordered publication bans in searches involving their names, the Ottawa Citizen has found. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you …

Making available right established for downloads, but no rates set

The Copyright Board has ruled that the making available right under the Copyright Act applies to downloads, settling a case that began four years ago, but declined to set a value for the tariff. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …

Canadian reps at tech companies’ anti-terror initiative

The Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism, launched in June by Facebook Inc., Microsoft Corp., Twitter Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube, held its first meeting in San Francisco, Calif. Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or …

Transparency reporting in Canada: still opaque?

Without an Edward Snowden-like scandal, exposing inappropriate government access of citizens’ personal information, the current landscape may be as good as it gets for transparency reporting in Canada, a privacy expert says. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …

YouTube introducing new CanCon channel

In a company first, Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube will begin specifically highlighting Canadian content on its website. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report now. FREE …

Non-profit gives tech leg up to telecoms, smaller businesses

Canada’s big three wireless providers are now cooperating on a not-for-profit initiative that offers small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) a networking test bed to experiment with new technologies, such as 5G communications. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …

Sam Sebastian leaves Google Canada, joins Pelmorex

The managing director of Alphabet Inc.’s Google Canada, Sam Sebastian, has left the company and will be replaced on an interim basis by managing director of integrated solutions Sabrina Geremia, the company has confirmed. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital …

Google turns to U.S. courts over Equustek decision

Alphabet Inc.’s Google is challenging the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) to order its search engine to delist specific results in the United States, asking a U.S. court to declare that a recent SCC decision cannot be enforced in that country. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign …

Civil society groups take aim at Five Eyes on encryption

More than six dozen civil society organizations and individuals have come out to reiterate support for stronger data encryption in a letter addressed to a quintet of the world’s intelligence agencies, following a statement from the group that encryption could be standing in the way of public safety. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers …

Five Eyes watching online terror content

Representatives from the Five Eyes intelligence alliance have issued a statement lauding the creation of a coalition by some of the world’s biggest tech companies aimed at tackling terrorist content online. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital …

Supreme Court’s Google search ban could have global implications

OTTAWA — In a landmark ruling, Canada’s top court dismissed an appeal by Alphabet Inc. Wednesday and upheld a worldwide ban on search results of a company that Equustek Solutions Inc. said infringed on its products, in a move that could influence future takedown cases in other jurisdictions, experts say. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already …

Tech giants coordinating to tackle terror content

Some of the world’s largest technology and social media companies are forming a coalition to counter terrorism. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report …

EU fines Google 2.4B euros

The European Union has fined Alphabet Inc.’s Google 2.4 billion euros — about $3.6 billion in Canadian dollars — for giving itself an “illegal advantage” in its search results. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you …

CCSA leads lobbying after Hill visit

Last month’s deluge of Canadian Cable Systems Alliance (CCSA) members on Parliament Hill for the group’s third annual lobby day pushed the organization to the top of the telecom lobbying list for the second month this year, logging 49 communication reports in May. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …

Opposition MPs say conflict of interest in Heritage office

Alphabet Inc.’s Google Canada lobbied Leslie Church, its former communications head and now chief of staff to Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly, on several occasions this year, meetings that are being criticized by Opposition MPs. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …

‘Level playing field’ for foreign digital news services: committee

OTTAWA — After a year of study and hearing from 131 witnesses, some of them multiple times, the House of Commons’ heritage committee delivered a report aiming to tackle a rapidly changing media environment that included a call for foreign digital companies like Facebook Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google to pay the same taxes. This content is available …

Public conversation needed on right to be forgotten: Google Canada

OTTAWA — Before any right to be forgotten rules are instituted in Canada, there needs to be a fulsome public discussion, Colin McKay, head of public policy and government relations at Alphabet Inc.’s Google Canada, told parliamentarians Thursday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …

ISED PS Lametti hot property for April lobbying

The parliamentary secretary to the innovation minister was a popular target for lobbyists last month, as representatives from major telecom and Internet companies sought him out, according to the latest statistics from the office of the lobbying commissioner. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …

Digital ads only in their infancy, Google’s Gingras says

MONTREAL — Digital advertising will continue to evolve into new forms we can’t yet predict, Richard Gingras, vice-president of Alphabet Inc.’s Google News, said Thursday as he spoke about criticisms by media outlets that Google is taking ad revenue away from their platforms.

Joly to discuss promoting CanCon with Google, Facebook

Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly will travel to California later this month to meet with representatives from Facebook Inc. and Alphabet Inc., her office has confirmed.

Spokesman Pierre-Olivier Herbert said the minister will go to San Francisco and Los Angeles next week and will meet with officials from Google, YouTube and Facebook.

Trudeau meets with YouTube head

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with the CEO of Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube Thursday, and used the opportunity to express “his appreciation for Google and YouTube’s continued investment in Canada and looked forward to further collaboration,” according to a readout from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Ad pulls from YouTube show money shift to TV: Corus CEO

The fallout from Alphabet Inc.’s placing of advertisements next to unfavourable content is in line with an ongoing trend of some advertisers shifting money from digital back to traditional television, broadcaster Corus Entertainment Inc.’s president and CEO Doug Murphy said Thursday.

Google launches AI research institute in Toronto

Alphabet Inc.’s Google has launched a research facility in Toronto dedicated to the development of artificial intelligence (AI).

The Vector Institute will focus on “expanding the applications of AI by performing cutting-edge explorations in deep learning and other forms of machine learning,” Geoffrey Hinton, chief scientific advisor for the institute and vice-president and engineering fellow at Google, said in a Google blog post Thursday.

Quebec union ‘disappointed’ budgets didn’t address taxation imbalance

A Quebec union representing communications sector employees said it is disappointed with both the federal and provincial budgets, saying that in “both cases, no action has been taken to counter tax avoidance and unfair competition” by foreign digital companies like Netflix Inc., Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Facebook Inc.