The Canadian DMCA may not be introduced until next week (Tuesday is the rumoured day), but many are not waiting until the bill comes to make their views known. Over the past few days, there has been an incredible amount of action and growing media coverage. This includes: Letters to […]
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Cellphone Spectrum Set-Aside Simply Step One
My weekly technology law column (Toronto Star version, Ottawa Citizen version, homepage version) focuses on the recent government spectrum allocation announcement. I argue that new wireless competition will be welcome news to consumers, however, it represents only part of the solution. The day before the Prentice press conference, U.S.-based Verizon Wireless shocked the industry by announcing that next year it will adopt an "open network" approach that will remove the restrictive walled garden that typifies the incumbent carriers. Instead, its customers will be permitted to use any device and any application that meets minimum technical standards. The Verizon decision comes just weeks after Google introduced a partnership with leading U.S. carriers such as Sprint and T-Mobile to create the Open Handset Alliance, which will similarly enable consumers to use devices that are fully open to new innovation and third-party programs.
This rush toward an open cellphone market stands in sharp contrast to years of restricted networks that left decisions about new devices and functionality strictly in the hands of a few dominant cellphone providers.
RCMP Demonstrates That Movie Piracy Law Unnecessary
Throughout the debate over Bill C-59, Canada's fast-tracked anti-camcording law, I consistently argued that there was no need for additional legislation since the Copyright Act was already well-equipped to deal with problem (documents obtained under the Access to Information Act reveal that that was the view of Department of Justice […]
Prentice To Oppose Canadian Universities
The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada has issued its position paper on copyright reform. If the bill coming next week is as expected, Industry Minister Jim Prentice will be issuing a major rejection of the concerns of Canada's higher education community. The AUCC has listed four recommendations – […]
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The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 231: Sara Bannerman on How Canadian Political Parties Maximize Voter Data Collection and Minimize Privacy Safeguards 
The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 230: Aengus Bridgman on the 2025 Federal Election, Social Media Platforms, and Misinformation 
The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 229: My Digital Access Day Keynote – Assessing the Canadian Digital Policy Record 
Queen’s University Trustees Reject Divestment Efforts Emphasizing the Importance of Institutional Neutrality 
The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 228: Kumanan Wilson on Why Canadian Health Data Requires Stronger Privacy Protection in the Trump Era
