Ad-supported VOD rising as OTT grips TV market

OTTAWA — More competition in the over-the-top (OTT) space is driving a trend of more ad-supported video-on-demand (VOD) services, panelists told a media conference on Friday. 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 …

31% of Canadians ‘extremely concerned’ about fake news: MTM

Nearly half of Canadians are concerned to some degree about the consequences of the phenomenon of fake news, with 31 per cent saying they are “extremely concerned,” according to a new report from Media Technology Monitor. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …

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 …

Facebook names new Canadian division head

Facebook Inc. has named Garrick Tiplady its new managing director of Facebook Canada and Instagram 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. …

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 …

Fake news worries increasing ahead of 2019 election: PPF CEO

OTTAWA — Policy makers in Canada have become more concerned about the problem of fake news on the internet in recent months, according to Edward Greenspon, president and CEO of the Public Policy Forum (PPF), who also said there is very little information about the extent of the problem in Canada. This content is available …

Lack of incentive undermines privacy protection tech: OPC

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) has released an analysis of privacy enhancing technologies (PETs), but cautions that there are still challenges for the adoption of practises which protect the average consumer’s privacy. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …

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 …

Cell phone only households predict modern behaviour: MTM

Cell phone only households, meaning those that use only mobile phones and no landline, are growing across Canada and are a good indication of a series of modern habits, said a report published Thursday from the Media Technology Monitor (MTM), a project of CBC/Radio-Canada. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign …

Facebook to test more transparent ads in Canada

Canada will be the testbed for Facebook Inc.’s new advertising transparency policies, according to a blog post on Oct. 27. 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 …

Rory Capern hired at Pelmorex

In a press release on Wednesday, Pelmorex Corp. announced that Rory Capern will join the company as vice-president of partnerships, starting Nov. 7. 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 …

Facebook outlines plans to tackle ‘election integrity’ in Canada

Facebook Inc. is teaming up with Ottawa-based digital literacy group, Mediasmarts, to create the Canadian Election Integrity Initiative, according to a release on Thursday. 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 …

How big a threat are OTT sports services?

Sports remains one of the last bastions of defence for traditional TV against a wave of over-the-top (OTT) services that continue to push audiences toward cord-cutting, though for now at least, they appear to form a stronger barrier in Canada than south of the border. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? …

Facebook launching tool to help ID fake news

Facebook Inc. is testing a feature to provide context to the many news reports often shared through the social media network, it said in a Thursday release. 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. …

Facebook to hand over Russia ads to Congress

Facebook Inc. will cooperate with the U.S. Congress on its investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 United States election by handing over advertisements and related information linked to a Russian entity. 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 …

Facebook use well ahead of other social networks: MTM

Despite the abundance of social media platforms in existence, Facebook Inc.’s popularity among anglophone Canadians stands head and shoulders above other options, according to a new Media Technology Monitor (MTM) report. 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 …

Bell introducing ‘advanced’ text messaging

BCE Inc. is launching an integrated advanced messaging function that allows subscribers to use features available on third party messaging apps. 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 …

Rory Capern leaves Twitter Canada

The managing director of Twitter Inc.’s Canada division has stepped down, a Twitter Canada spokesman confirmed in an email. 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 …

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. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …

Facebook to introduce new video platform

Facebook Inc. will launch a new feature for watching video on its social media site. 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 …

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 …

G20 heads call for lawful access cooperation in anti-terror statement

A joint statement from G20 leaders stemming from their two-day meeting last week in Hamburg, Germany, pledges co-operation on fighting terrorism in part by looking for links with internet service and online platform providers. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …

Growth of Canadians on social networks slowing: report

Canada’s social network usage is projected to grow steadily over the next four years but growth will slow compared to previous years, according to a report by research company eMarketer Inc. 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 …

TNW Wireless, iFramed sold to U.S. company

Investel Capital Corp.’s TNW Wireless Inc. has been sold to an American holding and management company, United American Corp., the Florida-based company announced in a Wednesday press release. 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 …

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 …

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 …

VR users say it will change everyday activities: report

Early adopters of virtual reality (VR) technology believe VR is poised to change pastimes like social networking and video viewing, though issues like motion sickness pose a barrier for some, a new report has found. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …

Time Warner programming heading to Snapchat

Snap Inc. has teamed up with Time Warner Inc. to develop programming for the picture- and video-sharing app Snapchat, Time Warner said Monday. 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 …

Facebook no place for terrorists, company says

Facebook Inc. said it wants to be a “hostile place” for terrorists, and outlined Thursday a series of steps it’s taking to counteract terrorism on its 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 news you need. Take a free …

Facebook partners with MLB for U.S. live streams

Facebook Inc. will live stream 20 Major League Baseball (MLB) games this season on its social media platform after finalizing a partnership with the league. 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 …

Twitter to host 24/7 Bloomberg stream

Twitter Inc. and Bloomberg LP have come to an agreement that will see the financial news outlet provide round-the-clock streaming content for the social media platform as part of 12 streaming deals announced Monday night.

Gov’t info requests to Facebook fall in second half of 2016

Digital platforms open to cultural diversity message: Joly

OTTAWA — Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly said she found a receptive audience for her message of cultural diversity on digital platforms among the executives of the digital media giants she met on her recent trip to California.

Twitter releases 10th transparency report

Twitter Inc. had to respond to 51 requests for Canadian user's information and 11 requests for account removal in the latter half of 2016, according to the social media company’s latest transparency report.

Out of the 51 government and “non-government legal” information requests, affecting 52 accounts, Twitter produced information 80 per cent of the time, the report, released Tuesday, said.

Google to change ad policy after U.K. controversy

Alphabet Inc.’s Google will give companies that advertise on its platforms more control over where their ads are placed, the company said in a blog post Tuesday.

“Recently, we had a number of cases where brands’ ads appeared on content that was not aligned with their values. For this, we deeply apologize,” chief business officer Philipp Schindler said in the post.

Lacrosse games to stream on Twitter

Twitter Inc. and the National Lacrosse League (NLL) have teamed up to live-stream games in the U.S. and Canada, the men’s indoor professional league announced Wednesday.

In a press release, the league said its game of the week would be streamed on the social media platform for the rest of the 2017 season (through April 29) and for all of the 2018 season.

Rogers launches social-media cyber security tool

Rogers Communications Inc. has rolled out a security tool aimed at helping businesses safeguard their social media accounts, the company said in a Wednesday press release.

Social Media Security “monitors, identifies and takes fast action against potential threats or hacks to profiles on a business' social media channels,” in partnership with U.S.-based social-media security company ZeroFox, the release said.

Facebook says its data can’t be used for surveillance

Facebook Inc. has updated its policies to state that developers cannot use data obtained from its social media networks “to provide tools that are used for surveillance.”

While the change was prompted by events that took place in the United States, Facebook spokesman Jay Nancarrow said in an email Tuesday that the policy applies globally.

Corus to sell cookie data to advertisers

Corus Entertainment Inc. is now selling to advertisers users’ cookie data to better target audience members, the company announced Monday.

In a press release, Corus said it’s the “first major Canadian broadcast publisher to offer first-party data to advertisers,” allowing buyers to “target audiences based on anonymous cookie data.”

CBC ‘dimmer star’ in media landscape, conservative event hears

OTTAWA — When talking about CBC/Radio-Canada’s role in the media landscape, the public broadcaster is a “pygmy amongst giants,” and more focus should be aimed at large telecom companies, Dwayne Winseck argued Saturday during a debate about whether to “pull the plug” on the CBC.

Facebook, Google not ‘arbiters of truth,’ committee hears

OTTAWA — Facebook Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google Canada told members of Parliament Tuesday they don’t see themselves as “arbiters of truth” in the ongoing challenge to address the problem of false news stories being shared via their respective platforms, but that they are increasing the measures they take to stem the flow.

TVO program to stream on Periscope in Canadian first

Starting Monday, Twitter Inc.’s live-streaming app will host a nightly showing of a Canadian media program for the first time.

The Agenda with Steve Paikin, a current affairs program produced by the publicly funded educational TV station TVO, will stream on Twitter’s Periscope, according to a Monday press release. It said the show would air Monday through Friday at 8 p.m. EST.

Facebook reports 1K gov’t info requests in first half of 2016

Canadian law enforcement and government agencies made over one thousand requests for customer information to Facebook Inc. in the first six months of 2016, four times more than the company received during the same time period two years ago.

Facebook released its most-recent Global Government Requests report on Dec. 21. The transparency report shows that between January and June of last year, agencies made 1,004 total requests, involving 1,205 accounts.

TekSavvy campaign pushes for continuation of interim HSA rates

TekSavvy Solutions Inc. is lowering its Internet prices next month, and asking its customers to help press for the continuation of interim wholesale access rates.

Using the hashtag #ThanksAgainCRTC, TekSavvy customers took to Twitter to react to emails received about price reductions ranging from $1 to $16 per month.

Social media networks team up to flag terrorism-related content

Facebook Inc., Microsoft Corp., Twitter Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube will begin sharing information to help curb the spread of terrorism-related content.

CBC asks for 35% funding boost to go ad-free

CBC/Radio-Canada is asking the federal government for an increase in its funding so that it can eliminate advertising on its platforms.

In a submission made as part of a government review of Canadian content in a digital age, CBC asked for an increase of $12 per person in funding, to $46.

Facebook working on increasing monetization for news media: exec

MONTREAL — Facebook Inc. is increasing opportunities for the news media to monetize content, the company’s Canadian head of public policy said Wednesday, citing initiatives like Instant Articles and Facebook Live.

CBC, Facebook digital ad sales hurting newspapers, committee hears

OTTAWA — The Canadian government should review its mandate for CBC/Radio-Canada in light of the national broadcaster and foreign digital competitors taking away ad dollars from local newspapers, individuals representing the latter told the House of Commons standing committee on Canadian Heritage Thursday. 

Stephen Hampton joins Telus

Telus Corp. has named Stephen Hampton its new senior project manager of government relations.

Hampton told The Lobby Monitor in an interview the role would combine government relations and strategic affairs work “with a big focus on Telus Health.”

Hampton worked as a consultant at the lobby agency Crestview Strategies for the previous two years where, according to his LinkedIn profile, his clients included Amazon.com Inc. and Facebook Inc.

Internet companies reach out to new U.S. leadership

An organization representing four-dozen major online-based companies has reached out to president-elect Donald Trump, congratulating him on his victory while proposing digital policy planks for his administration to consider.

No proven harm from differential pricing: Bell

GATINEAU — The CRTC shouldn’t take the non-participation in this week’s hearing by content providers who might eventually benefit from zero-rating and other differential pricing practices as non-interest, a five-commissioner panel studying the issue heard Tuesday.

Twitter cutting 9% of workforce, drops Vine app

Twitter Inc. announced that it is cutting nine per cent of its workforce globally in a restructuring that it estimates will make it profitable next year. 

The social media company announced the reduction, estimated at more than 300 jobs, in a letter to shareholders regarding its third-quarter earnings Thursday. It said it will take a $10- to $20-million hit, which is “substantially” going to cover severance. 

Cyberattack cripples sites of major Internet companies

A Friday morning denial of service (DDoS) attack has taken down or slowed the websites of some of the Internet’s biggest companies, according to reports.

The attack targeted Internet services provider Dyn DNS and claimed sites including social networks Reddit Inc. and Twitter Inc., e-commerce company Amazon.com Inc. and the music-streaming service from Spotify AB, according to a report by Reuters. The report said it’s unclear who is responsible.

Buzzfeed and Twitter team up for election coverage

Twitter Inc. will partner with Buzzfeed Inc. to provide live coverage of the United States presidential election next month.

The Nov. 8 election night special will be streamed exclusively on Twitter, the companies said in a press release Thursday.

Telus takes heat for backing carbon plan

Telus Corp. issued an apology Wednesday after a Tuesday night social media post linking the company to support for the federal government’s recently announced carbon-pricing plan generated backlash online.

69% of anglophones use social networks: MTM

Facebook Inc.’s platform is by far the dominant social network among Canadian anglophones, with almost all — 92 per cent — of social networkers using the site, according to a new report from CBC/Radio-Canada research project Media Technology Monitor (MTM).

Early, authentic engagement key for young audiences, public broadcasters hear

MONTREAL — The key to reaching young viewers is to have content made by them, not just for them, panellists at the Public Broadcasters International conference said Friday.

“The conversation must be young people to young people,” Thomas Sessner, chief digital officer of Germany’s BR, said in response to a question about interacting on social media and authenticity — a word that came up repeatedly at the two-day event focused on reaching millennial audiences.

CBC ‘can’t stand still,’ Lacroix says on shift to digital

MONTREAL — As technological change accelerates, CBC/Radio-Canada has to keep pace, according to CEO Hubert Lacroix, who said Thursday “we can’t think of the public broadcaster as one driven by legacy assets.”

“We can’t stand still,” Lacroix said in an interview at the Public Broadcasters International conference, which is being hosted by CBC in Montreal this week. The focus for this year’s two-day event is how public broadcasters can reach the digital generation.

Rogers logging in to Twitter for customer care

Rogers Communications Inc. is taking to Twitter Inc.’s social media service to allow its customers to connect with its support representatives. 

The partnership, announced in a Thursday press release, will allow Rogers and customers of its Fido flanker brand to directly connect to live care team representatives without having to follow the Twitter page, as Twitter builds out its business support features.

Demand for faster upload speeds growing: analysts

The need for upload speed is growing among Canadian consumers and businesses, though it’s too early to tell whether there’s real demand for symmetrical Internet plans that some companies have begun offering, according to analysts.

During the annual BMO Capital Markets’ media and telecom investor’s conference, Telus Corp. said that it has separated itself from the pack by offering symmetrical Internet, or plans where upload speeds are identical to download speeds.

Twitter launches device apps for TV live-streaming

Twitter Inc. has launched apps that allow viewers to access its live-streaming video through Apple Inc.’s Apple TV, Amazon.com Inc.’s Fire TV and Microsoft Corp.’s XBox One.

Telecoms need to be ‘proactive’ with video development: report

Telecom service providers should look towards improving video quality across their networks if they want to increase customer loyalty, according to a new joint report from Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. and Ovum, a technology research and advisory company.

PGA Tour broadcasts coming to Twitter, Facebook

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 free access to thewirereport.ca and our exlusive newsletters. Register for free * …

Snapchat facing patent infringement lawsuit

A Canadian company is suing Snapchat Inc. alleging it is infringing on its patented technology. 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 …

Jennifer Hollett joins Twitter Canada

Twitter Inc.’s Canadian division announced Monday it had hired Jennifer Hollett as the company’s new head of news and government.

TV still golden in multi-platform Olympic coverage: experts

While digital and mobile options for watching the Summer Olympics are gaining in popularity and engagement, television continues to own the podium for the Canadian outlet broadcasting the two-week multi-sport tournament happening now in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Facebook desktop users lose ability to block ads

Facebook Inc. said Tuesday that users of the desktop version of its social network will no longer be able to circumvent advertising through ad-blocking software.

In a blog post from Andrew Bosworth, vice-president of ads and business platform, the company announced it was tweaking its ad settings controlled by users to “address the underlying reasons people have turned to ad blocking software.”

Twitter to live-stream out-of-market MLB games

Canadians will be able to watch some Major League Baseball (MLB) games on Twitter Inc.’s social media service.

The company said in a press release Monday that it would live-stream out-of-market games from the MLB and the National Hockey League (NHL) in the United States.

Live-stream of Wimbledon available on Twitter

ESPN is streaming live coverage of the Wimbledon tennis tournament on Twitter Inc.’s social media service.

The website states the live feed is brought to viewers by Wimbeldon and ESPN. It appears to have been made available without an official press release or announcement.

Microsoft buying LinkedIn for $26B

Microsoft Corp. announced Monday that it has entered into an agreement to buy LinkedIn Corp.’s social networking site for $26.2 billion US.

The companies said in a press release Monday that LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner will stay on as head of the company, reporting to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

“LinkedIn will retain its distinct brand, culture and independence,” the release said.

Telecom told it can’t name and shame subs with unpaid bills

The office of the privacy commissioner has forced a cable provider to censor the names of customers with overdue accounts it made public, according to an incident summary posted on its website Tuesday.

The case, which occurred in December 2015 in the Northwest Territories, involved a cable company, which is not named, that made public on Facebook Inc.’s social network the names of customers who had overdue accounts.

Privacy commish warns telecoms about transparency reporting, metadata

TORONTO — Privacy commissioner Daniel Therrien told a telecom industry audience Wednesday that companies should be prudent about the collection and use of metadata, and cautioned companies that haven’t yet issued transparency reports that his office could push for legislation to force them to do so.

Home Internet penetration at 92%: MTM

Internet use is nearly universal by English-speaking Canadians and the amount of time adults spend online is continuing to grow, suggested a new report on Internet penetration by the Media Technology Monitor, a project of CBC/Radio-Canada.

Results from the MTM survey suggest 92 per cent of anglophones have a home Internet connection, with the average user spending 22.6 hours online in a typical week in 2015, rising from 21.5 hours in the previous year.

Privacy commish launches online tool for parents

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada said Wednesday it has launched an interactive online tool aimed at helping parents manage online risks facing their children, to coincide with Data Privacy Day, which takes place Thursday.

It said in a press release that the tool, called House Rules, allows parents to “assess how their children interact online through games, mobile applications and social networking sites as a means of starting a dialogue on safe and responsible surfing.”

Rogers customer care joins Facebook Messenger

Rogers Communications Inc. announced Friday that its customers will now have access to its customer care service on Facebook Inc.’s Messenger.

It said in a press release that the service is available for all consumer products between 7 a.m. and midnight ET every day, and added that customers can access the chat by going to the Rogers Facebook page and clicking on the message button to start a chat with someone from Rogers.

Facebook expands Free Basics

Facebook Inc. said in a press release Monday that “more than 60 new services are available” on its Free Basics app in the 29 countries where citizens can access it.

“Free Basics is now available to more than one billion people across Asia, Africa and Latin America,” the company said, adding it is also now open to outside developers.

VoLTE connections to reach 2 billion by 2020: Juniper

Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) connections are anticipated to reach two billion by 2020, rising from about 123 million connections this year, according to a new report released Monday from Juniper Research Ltd.

It said the opportunity for monetizing VoLTE will initially be limited as “network operators will initially focus on experience and quality of service, rather than monetization, with failure to deliver a high-quality offering at the outset potentially resulting in churn to rival operators.”

Countdown on for global Internet governance transition

OTTAWA — When people think about the Internet, they often associate it with applications, social networks, streamed video, megabits per second or data caps, without realizing that the structure that lies underneath is overseen by the United States government.

Kik adds Jae Kim, Alim Dhanji

Kik Interactive Inc., the Waterloo, Ont.-based mobile messaging company, said Tuesday it has added two new executives.

One is Jae Kim, who will be head of strategy and partnerships, Kik said in a press release. Kim was formerly head of strategy and operations at the U.S headquarters of Line Corp., another messaging company.

Mobile messaging grows, monetization remains the challenge

Mobile-messaging through apps in Canada and globally is on the rise as it attracts users wanting a convenient interface that can help them be included in social circles, though the steep growth in users is not yet being matched in dollars generated.

Instagram users more tech savvy: MTM

A new report released Monday from Media Technology Monitor (MTM) says 85 per cent of Canadian users of Facebook Inc.’s photo and video-sharing app, Instagram, are younger than 50 and most are prone to owning new technology.

Kik gets $50M US investment from Chinese company

Canadian chat-app maker Kik Interactive Inc. said Tuesday that it has received a $50-million US investment from China's Tencent Holdings Ltd., maker of WeChat messaging app.

Kik CEO Ted Livingston said in a blog post on the company's website that Tencent is an ideal company to have as a partner.

Pros and cons of Periscope as journalism tool

The use of live-streaming apps such as Periscope and Meerkat has helped journalists provide unfiltered, live as-it-happens moments for viewers, according to some proponents, though others claim such technology compromises the quality and accuracy of news.  

Periscope, which was bought by Twitter Inc. in March, is among the most popular live-streaming apps journalists have been using. Users download the app on smartphones, log in and begin a live broadcast of whatever they’re doing.

CTV News partners with Facebook for election coverage

BCE Inc.’s CTV News announced Tuesday it has partnered with Facebook Inc. for coverage of this year's federal election campaign.

CTV said in a press release the partnership starts immediately and continues until the October election. Features of the new service will include access to Facebook’s experts, information on topics that are trending on the social network, how parties and candidates are using Facebook, and how well they are engaging with people on Facebook, the release said.

OTT messaging struggling to monetize: Juniper

Over-the-top (OTT) messaging services are expected to see traffic levels triple globally by 2019 compared to last year's levels, but a lack of success in monetizing the product will lead to a decline in global revenue for the messaging industry overall, according to Juniper Research Ltd.

Shopify teams with Pinterest to create new sales platform

Ottawa-based e-commerce company Shopify on Tuesday said it has teamed with social networking website Pinterest to provide businesses a new way to sell things directly to online audiences.

Shopify said in a blog post it has worked with Pinterest to create "Buyable Pins" that include a button users can click to purchase products using credit cards or Apple Inc.'s Pay software.

Social network users spending more time online: MTM

Anglophone Canadians who use social networks spend an average of about three hours more each week online than Internet users in general, according to a report released Wednesday.

Media Technology Monitor (MTM), a project of CBC/Radio-Canada, released data from a poll showing that 75 per cent of anglophone Canadians who use the Internet had visited a social networking site within the previous month. That was up from 71 per cent in 2013, and was as low as 18 per cent in 2006 before surging to 42 per cent in 2007, MTM said.

Facebook launches Amber Alerts in Canada

Facebook Inc. said Monday that its users in Canada will receive Amber Alert notifications to help find missing children.

Amber Alert notifications will be sent to residents living in the area where the child is missing, Facebook said in press release. Notifications will include photos and details about the missing child, and users will be able to share this information. 

The application was created in collaboration with police authorities in different provinces across Canada to help expedite the search faster, Facebook said.