Stop treating the Internet like television: #FreetheFeed!

The Online Streaming Act (formerly Bill C-10) is making its return, and still has the wrong approach: treating the Internet like broadcast television just doesn’t make sense.

Now known as Bill C-11, the government’s legislation puts the CRTC in charge of deciding what type of content should be at the top of our feed. New loopholes give the CRTC even MORE power to decide that even more content should fall under their regulation - putting the content of many small creators on platforms like Youtube and Spotify under their control, while excluding those creators from CanCon financial support.

Tell our government: don’t apply a broadcasting regulation approach to the Internet. Respect our choices, don’t force content on us. Support ALL Canadian creators, not just your friends in legacy media.

Join us in taking action and calling for Minister Rodriguez to fix Bill C-11 and #FreetheFeed!

To: Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez

Minister

Pablo

Rodriguez

Government of Canada

Dear Minister Rodriguez,

Despite your efforts to exclude user content from CRTC regulation in Bill C-11, this bill still leaves Canadians with unanswered questions about who it will apply to, meddles with our viewing and listening choices, and fails to put indie content creators first.

I’m calling on you to correct the broadcast-era mistakes still present in Bill C-11. Specifically, I’m asking that you:

1. Remove the CRTC’s power to interfere with our personal feeds and playlists to prioritize CanCon. Only optional and opt-in means to promote CanCon should be considered;

2. Tightly and specifically limit any powers being granted to CRTC over our Internet. All user-generated content and small and niche online platforms must be plainly and explicitly excluded from CRTC regulation;

3. Support digital-first Canadian creators on equal terms to legacy media. Make CanCon financial support entirely neutral about a creator’s choice of platform or medium.

Last year’s Bill C-10 failed because it gave immense jurisdictional power to the CRTC with very little guidance from your department to limit those powers. By making these changes, I am asking you to impose those limits.  Respect my choices, don’t put the CRTC in charge of most of the Internet, and provide an equal playing field for all Canadian creators, not just those in legacy media.

Sincerely,
{user_data~First Name} {user_data~Last Name}

First Name

Last Name

Your Email

Postal Code

Or...

Uncheck this box to unsubscribe from all updates.

Receive campaigns in English

This campaign is hosted by OpenMedia. We will protect your privacy, and keep you informed about this campaign and others. Find OpenMedia's privacy policy here.

We don’t have to tell you: the Internet is not a one-way broadcast signal. But Online Streaming Act Bill C-11 continues Bill C-10’s mistakes by treating the entire web like a 1980s television or radio, with the CRTC in charge of it all.

Here’s some of the core issues remaining with Bill C-11:

User-generated audiovisual content like TikToks and podcasts is STILL subject to regulation if the CRTC sees fit;¹
The CRTC is still being given regulatory power over most audiovisual platforms on the Internet, whether or not they do substantial business in Canada;²
The CRTC still has the power to decide what shows up in your feed, putting some officially recognized “Canadian” content (CanCon) to the top while hiding other content you wanted to see;³
The whole system still depends on 1980s era definitions of what counts as Canadian content that doesn’t consider or support digital-first creators.⁴

While much remains rotten with Bill-C11, the legislative process is far from over. Bill C-10 was stopped dead in its tracks last year, and we have the power to fix or stop Bill C-11 too!

Let’s support ALL Canada’s creators while protecting ourselves from a massively overreaching CRTC. Take action and #FreetheFeed!

Sources

1. Online Streaming Act could worsen streaming for Canadians, leaves out small content creators- OpenMedia

2. Bill C-11’s Foundational Faults, Part One: The Nearly Unlimited Global Reach of CRTC Jurisdiction Over Internet Audio-Visual Services- Michael Geist

3. Not Ready for Prime Time: Why Bill C-11 Leaves the Door Open to CRTC Regulation of User Generated Content- Michael Geist

4. See 1

If you haven't taken action yet click here

Press: Matt Hatfield | Phone: +1 (888) 441-2640 ext. 0 | [email protected]