My fair dealing week posts conclude with a look at the link between fair dealing and the fundamental right to read (previous posts focused on the lawsuit to recover overpayments from Access Copyright, the importance of fair dealing for creators, freedom of expression, and news reporting). The critical importance of fair dealing as a user’s right was demonstrated in the 2016 copyright case between the Blacklock’s Reporter, an Ottawa-based online paywalled news site, and the federal government. Blacklock’s, which has filed multiple lawsuits against government departments, sued the Department of Finance for $17,209.10 over two articles that were sent to government officials from a paying subscriber concerned with comments found in the article. The articles were subsequently forwarded to several media relations personnel within the department.
Post Tagged with: "right to read"
Protesting The Kindle 2
Gizmodo has photos and video from a protest over the removal of text-to-voice functionality from the Kindle 2.

Law Bytes
Episode 264: Jon Penney on Chilling Effects in the Digital Age
byMichael Geist

March 30, 2026
Michael Geist
March 16, 2026
Michael Geist
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Michael Geist on Substack
Recent Posts
The Global Battle for Data Control: How the 2026 U.S. Report on Trade Barriers Targets Data Sovereignty Worldwide
The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 264: Jon Penney on Chilling Effects in the Digital Age
Heads They Win, Tails We Lose: What Lies Behind the U.S. Trade Battle For Control over Data
Still Not a Privacy Law: Bill C-25’s Political Party Privacy Provisions Fall Short Again
Could Bill C-22 Make Canadians Less Safe? The Systemic Vulnerability Gap in Canada’s New Surveillance Law

