The Digital Deficit: Weekly Update from OpenMedia.ca

Hello!

Here's (the always informative and engaging!) Lindsey with your update:

Highlights from the last week include: the Akamai State of the Internet report highlighting Canada as a digital laggard, and the Ontario Privacy Commish slamming the online spying bills on CBC.

- The OpenMedia.ca Team

Recent News:

Akamai State of the Internet report shows Canada's digital deficit



In their latest State of the Internet report, Akamai compares key metrics from countries around the world make it clear that Canada has a digital deficit.


We’re falling behind other countries on all things digital; our Internet is slower and more restricted, and both mobile and wired access to the web are more expensive. We've known for a while that Canada is lagging in the four key areas of our digital economy (speed, openness, affordability, content); this report serves to remind us that we need to push our politicians and policymakers to work to catch up. Read more »

Green Party Leader May and NDP Critic Angus to Join Discussions of Online Surveillance Bills


Event to Inform Criticism of Proposed Bills That Would Allow Warrantless Electronic Spying


Ottawa, ON – In response to proposed bills that would allow warrantless electronic surveillance of Canadians, the Ottawa community is invited to join digital affairs experts and political representatives—including the NDP's Charlie Angus and the Green Party's Elizabeth May—for a lively panel discussion. The event, sponsored by a growing list of public interest organizations, will take place Wednesday, February 8, at the St. Paul University Amphitheatre (223 Main Street).


The Political Panel will be moderated by the prolific digital affairs critic Michael Geist, the Canada Research Chair for Internet and E-commerce Law. To begin, however, a panel featuring some of Canada’s sharpest minds—including cybersecurity specialist Christopher Parsons and communications law expert Kirsten R. Embree—will detail the dangers of the federal government’s impending "Lawful Access" legislation, dubbed "Online Spying" by Canadians. Read more »

Ottawa Citizen: Complaints of Internet throttling are on the rise; Rogers may be on the hot seat



By Brad Bouzane for Postmedia News


An apparent jump in public awareness over Internet throttling and other practices by service providers in Canada has led to a sharp jump in complaints to the federal regulator, one expert said Tuesday.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) released figures Tuesday that showed the number of complaints received between Oct. 1 and Dec. 30, 2011 — with the majority based around Internet Traffic Management Practices (ITMPs) — have the agency on pace to far exceed the number of grievances it received over a two-year period between 2009 and 2011.


Michael Geist, a University of Ottawa professor who holds the Canada Research Chair in Internet and e-commerce Law, said new numbers released by the CRTC could be an indication of greater public knowledge about Internet service issues, which has led to more vocal consumers. Read more »

Ontario Privacy Commish slams the online spying bills in CBC interview

Anne Cavoukian, Ontario's Information and Privacy Commissioner, articulately takes a stand against the upcoming online spying bills in the video below.


Check out her interview on CBC, visit http://StopSpying.ca/ to sign the petition, then spread the word to everyone you know. Read more »

CRTC says capacity billing model will kick in February 1st



The CRTC has announced a start date for the capacity-based model that defeated usage-based billing (Internet metering) late last year. Starting on February 1st, the decision will go into effect, with certain terms and conditions that indie ISPs find objectionable subject to possible renegotiation going forward.


This, in short, means that Big Telecom won't be able to impose metered billing directly onto Canadians using their independent competitors.
There has been a great deal of controversy on the logistics of the new model's implementation—for instance, indie ISPs argue the costs they face in the wake of the CRTC's decision are still higher than they should be—but all in all this has been a step forward for the affordable Internet. Read more »

Postmedia: Rogers uses "freedom of speech" as excuse for misleading ads



By Sarah Schmidt for Postmedia News


Rogers Communications Inc. is asking an Ontario court to strike down part of a federal law requiring a company to have "adequate and proper" tests of a product's performance before advertising claims about the product — on the grounds that it violates its freedom of expression.


In addition to taking on the performance claims provision of the Competition Act, the telecom giant is arguing before the Ontario Superior Court the hefty financial penalties that can be imposed on a company for making a false or misleading claim are also unconstitutional. Read more »