It’s scary – Bell, Cineplex, Shaw, and Rogers are trying to censor the internet and force the end of net neutrality in Canada. And worse, they’re trying to do it behind closed doors.
These 4 companies, led by Bell, are pushing to create an internet “blacklist” of certain websites that all internet service providers in Canada would legally have to block. They know this outrageous proposal would never pass, so first, they tried to sneak it into NAFTA negotiations – and now Bell is expected to introduce its proposal to Canada’s telecom regulator TOMORROW.
Critics are calling this move “unprecedented” and dangerous. If these companies get their way, this internet blacklist would have absolutely zero oversight in the courts. We need to stop this urgently.
Here’s a website that gives an idea of Bell’s proposal [x]. It talks about how Bell wants there to a be a NOT-FOR-PROFIT organization (called the Internet Piracy Review Agency, the IPRA) that deals with mandating websites containing piracy and the peddling of pirated materials.
The application to the CRTC is, according to this site, expected to be filed today, December 19th, 2017.
While this doesn’t sound bad on the surface, considering the fact its just preventing the availability of using peddled, pirated materials, the restrictions the IPRA propose, if not watched judicially, could quickly tighten exponentially, and it looks like Bell wants the IPRA to not be under judicial watch.
It’s an evasion of net neutrality for sure, but it’s not for profit. There’s no teirs being talked about, there’s no extra money going into the pockets of Bell. It’s simply a proposal about creating a new branch of government that will crack down on internet piracy, and if I’m reading correctly, that’s exclusive to piracy of Canadian materials.
This petition is useless now. The proposal is done, it’s a thing. The application is probably going through today. If not today, then by the end of the week, if at all.
We need to switch tasks and talk directly to the CRTC about turning down this proposal.
But the good news is, I’m pretty sure we don’t have to.
This [x] page from the CRTC outlines why net-neutrality is important to the CRTC that, to quote “Internet providers must treat data traffic the same, regardless of content.”
While it IS possible for the CRTC to change their decision, and while this post IS about content pricing, given the CRTC’s dedication to having all Candian providers treat all content the same way, I’ll doubt they’ll agree to put piracy regulations in price, especially when there is no benefit for them, i.e. they won’t be getting anything out of it, because, again, the IPRA is going to be non-profit.
If you’re still scared, petition the CRTC, not Bell. Bell is going to go forth, and, if the FCC is any indication, is going to keep trying, and trying, and trying. If we’re going to stop this, we gotta talk to the CRTC about putting rigidity in place to keep all content, regardless of legality, on the same playing field.
If someone wants to be naughty and pirate a video, that’s theirs chose. Not their internet service providers.
TL;DR: We’re probably safe, cause the CRTC is firm in their principles, but if you’re still scared, take your petitions to the people who can actually stop Bell from creating the IPRA; take your petitions to the people who can stop an organization who would enact this stuff; take your petitions to the CRTC. Going directly to the CRTC gives us the best chance of success.
Mathee's Blog 