Archive for February 16th, 2010

Taking Stock of Tech: Reflections on Law, Technology and Society

The University of Ottawa's Centre for Law, Technology and Society is proud to announce its launch conference, scheduled for Friday, March 5th.  Featuring a keynote address from Professor Yochai Benkler of Harvard Law School, the event also includes panels on mapping, open government, and social networks.  There is a modest […]

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February 16, 2010 4 comments News

Canadian ISPs Fall Short In Meeting Net Neutrality Requirements

Last fall, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission issued its much-anticipated Internet traffic management ruling, better known as the net neutrality decision. The case attracted national interest as the CRTC established several key requirements for Canada’s Internet providers.

These included new transparency obligations that forced ISPs to disclose their network management practices, such as why the practices were introduced, who will be affected, when it will occur, and how it will impact users' Internet experiences (down to the specific impact on speeds). The CRTC also opened the door to complaints about network management practices by establishing a test that any harm to users be as little as reasonably possible.

Several months later, Canada's ISPs have had ample time to comply with the new requirements, yet my weekly technology law column (Toronto Star version, Ottawa Citizen version, homepage version) reviews the policies from the biggest ISPs – including Bell Canada, Rogers Communications Inc., Shaw Communications Inc., Telus, Cogeco Inc., and Groupe Vidéotron – and reveals a decidedly mixed bag.

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February 16, 2010 13 comments Columns

Manitoba Ethics Essay Competition Winner Tackles File Sharing

The annual Glassen Ethics Competition, which is open to high school students in Manitoba, focused on file sharing this year.  The winning entry argues society has benefited overall from file sharing.

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February 16, 2010 4 comments News

CRTC Chair On Extending Regulatory Reach

CRTC Chair Konrad von Finckenstein tells the Globe that the commission has no plans to try to extend its regulatory reach.

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February 16, 2010 2 comments News

Shaw, Canwest and the Fee-For-Carriage Campaign

Derek DeCloet notes that Shaw's plans to purchase the Canwest TV assets may leave CTV isolated in its campaign for fee-for-carriage.

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February 16, 2010 5 comments News