Canadians widely oppose federal regulation of the internet, according to confidential in-house research by the Privy Council Office. Federal pollsters wrote that consumers, not the Liberal government, should determine what is fit to watch..“The federal government should not be responsible for regulating content for Canadian audiences,” said the report. The April 22 report was completed as cabinet prepared for debate on Bill C-11 An Act To Amend The Broadcasting Act..According to Blacklock's Reporter, the bill would grant the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) powers to regulate “commercial” internet videos similar to TV license holders. “Commercial” is not defined in the legislation..“Discussing whether they felt the Government of Canada should play a role in regulating non-user generated content on major digital platforms such as Netflix or Spotify, most participants felt these decisions should primarily be left to the viewer or listener,” said the report..“While a small number were in favour of establishing some regulations, particularly those geared towards ensuring greater fairness for Canadian content creators and promoting and protecting Canadian stories, most felt it was the responsibility of the consumer to determine the type of content they wished to engage with regardless of its country of origin,” said the report..Findings were based on interviews with Canadians in six focus groups in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Québec. The report was completed by The Strategic Counsel under a $2.4 million contract for continuous polling on public issues..“This Act does not apply to what individual Canadians and creators post online,” Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez told reporters February 2. The bill is currently before the Senate transport and communications committee..Rodriguez earlier called regulation of Netflix and YouTube videos an “absolute priority” for cabinet. “We have very little time,” he said. “I cannot overstate the urgency of this. The bill must move ahead.” A similar Bill C-10 lapsed in the last Parliament..Opponents of C-11 caution the bill sets a precedent in monitoring currently unregulated internet communication intended for private viewing. “C-11 is based on the tragic illusion all audio and audio-visual content on the internet is a program and that any person who transmits a program on the internet is a broadcaster rather than a communicator,” the Canadian chapter of the Internet Society wrote in a submission to the Commons heritage committee..“It fails to differentiate between a podcast produced in a residential basement and a major release motion picture on Netflix,” wrote the Internet Society. “Internet streaming services are simply not broadcasting,” it added.
Canadians widely oppose federal regulation of the internet, according to confidential in-house research by the Privy Council Office. Federal pollsters wrote that consumers, not the Liberal government, should determine what is fit to watch..“The federal government should not be responsible for regulating content for Canadian audiences,” said the report. The April 22 report was completed as cabinet prepared for debate on Bill C-11 An Act To Amend The Broadcasting Act..According to Blacklock's Reporter, the bill would grant the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) powers to regulate “commercial” internet videos similar to TV license holders. “Commercial” is not defined in the legislation..“Discussing whether they felt the Government of Canada should play a role in regulating non-user generated content on major digital platforms such as Netflix or Spotify, most participants felt these decisions should primarily be left to the viewer or listener,” said the report..“While a small number were in favour of establishing some regulations, particularly those geared towards ensuring greater fairness for Canadian content creators and promoting and protecting Canadian stories, most felt it was the responsibility of the consumer to determine the type of content they wished to engage with regardless of its country of origin,” said the report..Findings were based on interviews with Canadians in six focus groups in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Québec. The report was completed by The Strategic Counsel under a $2.4 million contract for continuous polling on public issues..“This Act does not apply to what individual Canadians and creators post online,” Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez told reporters February 2. The bill is currently before the Senate transport and communications committee..Rodriguez earlier called regulation of Netflix and YouTube videos an “absolute priority” for cabinet. “We have very little time,” he said. “I cannot overstate the urgency of this. The bill must move ahead.” A similar Bill C-10 lapsed in the last Parliament..Opponents of C-11 caution the bill sets a precedent in monitoring currently unregulated internet communication intended for private viewing. “C-11 is based on the tragic illusion all audio and audio-visual content on the internet is a program and that any person who transmits a program on the internet is a broadcaster rather than a communicator,” the Canadian chapter of the Internet Society wrote in a submission to the Commons heritage committee..“It fails to differentiate between a podcast produced in a residential basement and a major release motion picture on Netflix,” wrote the Internet Society. “Internet streaming services are simply not broadcasting,” it added.
