Appeared in the Toronto Star on February 14, 2015 as Why Bell’s Targeted Ad Approach Falls Short on Privacy In October 2013, Bell announced the launch of a targeted advertising program that uses its customers’ personal information to deliver more “relevant advertising.” The announcement sparked hundreds of complaints with the […]
Articles by: Michael Geist
Why the Copyright Board of Canada Needs a Leafs-Style Tear-Down
In recent weeks, there has been growing talk of the need for the Toronto Maple Leafs to engage in full scale demolition of the current roster (as a long-suffering Leaf fan, I approve). The call for an overhaul comes as fans recognize that minor tinkering has resulted in years of mediocrity and that real change requires more drastic reforms. While the Leafs and the Copyright Board of Canada operate in entirely different worlds, they share a key similarity: the desperate for a complete reset.
The problems with the Copyright Board have been well-chronicled: the industry has been unhappy with many of its decisions (see the Tariff 8 decision), its rulings on fair dealing have been firmly rejected by the Supreme Court of Canada (“flawed”, “unreasonable” and “skewed” were some of the comments), it has been forced to admit errors that resulted in procedural unfairness, its processes are flawed, its decision making takes years, and the public is largely excluded from the process. As I noted last year:
The Nine Year Wait For Government Urgency on Privacy Reform
The Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology started its study on Bill S-4, the PIPEDA reform bill, last week. While news reports suggested that Industry Minister James Moore was open to changes, government MPs warned that any amendments would mean the bill would go back to the Senate for approval and likely die with the fall election. For example, MP Mark Warawa stated:
Minister, if we were to then delay and amend, would S-4 then have to go back to the Senate to get passed? My concern is – this is needed and a vast majority of Canadians want this passed – if we amend it, what’s the chance of it passing in this Parliament? Because, it’s needed.
Moore acknowledged that MPs can suggest reforms, but emphasized that “there is some urgency.”
The government’s sense of urgency with the PIPEDA reform bill is striking given that it has largely stalled progress on the key provisions in this bill for years. In fact, in one instance it left a privacy bill sitting for two years in the House of Commons with no movement whatsoever until it died with prorogation. The historical background behind Bill S-4 is as follows:
Why Better Oversight Won’t Fix Internet Surveillance and the New Anti-Terrorism Bill
Appeared in the Toronto Star on February 7, 2015 as Mere Oversight Won’t Fix Tory Surveillance Bill The past ten days have been a difficult time for Canadians concerned with privacy and civil liberties. Strike one came with new Edward Snowden revelations regarding Canada’s role in the daily tracking of […]
CIRA Launches New Round of Funding For Community Investment Program
The Canadian Internet Registration Authority has launched another round of its Community Investment Program (I am on the CIRA board and chair the committee that reviews funding applications). Last year, the CIP allocated over $1 million in funding toward 29 different proposals that included support for infrastructure, new online services, research initiatives, and digital literacy programs. Those projects are still ongoing but that has not stopped CIRA from opening the door to a new round of funding. The application system is now open with applications accepted until March 6, 2015. Apply today!
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