The chairman of the Canadian broadcasting regulator says he can ask platforms like YouTube to “manipulate” their algorithms to make Canadian music easier to find, according to the powers in the proposed online streaming bill.
Ian Scott told the Senate committee that is considering the bill that although Canada’s Broadcasting Committee would not want to manipulate the algorithms itself, it could tell the platforms: “I want you to manipulate it (the algorithm) to produce concrete results.
His remarks were accepted by critics of the online streaming bill, who say it confirms what they warned about.
Matthew Hatfield of OpenMedia said Scott’s remarks confirmed “what we’ve been saying all along.” OpenMedia is an organization dedicated to keeping the Internet open. Although funded primarily by individuals, it receives some funding from Google, whose parent company also owns YouTube.
YouTube has warned that Canadian digital creators, including influential people and streamers, could lose foreign revenue if the government forces digital platforms to promote Canadian content.
This is because the algorithms cross boundaries, and if a Canadian song presented to a YouTube audience in Canada is not liked or chosen, it may suggest that it is not popular. This, in turn, could lead to a downgrade worldwide.
The bill will update Canadian broadcasting laws to apply to platforms including Netflix, YouTube and Spotify, forcing them to take steps to make Canadian content – including music, movies and TV shows – more “discoverable”.
Michael Geist, a research chair in Internet law at the University of Ottawa, said it had long been apparent that these rules would require algorithmic manipulation.
“In fact, that’s why so many Canadian digital creators have expressed concern about the bill and the damage it could cause,” he said.
“The president of the CRTC acknowledged that the law would allow the government to do indirectly what it says it cannot do directly, forcing platforms to manipulate their algorithms to prioritize certain content over another.”
Geist said this could lead to a decline in their global content of Canadian creators, leading to reduced revenue and exposure.
But Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez has said publicly that the bill will not lead to platforms being asked to manipulate their algorithms.
On Thursday, his spokesman stressed that the government’s position had not changed, noting that part of Bill C-11 explicitly ruled out manipulating algorithms. A clause in the bill would prevent CRTC from placing an order requiring “the use of a specific computer algorithm or source code.”
“The government will ask CRTC to work with content presentation platforms so that more Canadians can find, select and enjoy content from Canadian artists and creators,” said Laura Scafidi.
“The platforms will decide how best to achieve these goals.”
Scott made his remarks Wednesday night when he appeared before the Senate Transportation and Communications Committee, which is conducting a preliminary study of the bill.
The online streaming bill passed through the House of Commons this week, but will now be carefully considered in the Senate.
In his introductory remarks to the committee, Scott said the CRTC “largely supports” the bill, but wants to see several amendments, including one that would allow it to continue resolving disputes.
YouTube, Spotify and CRTC declined to comment.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 24, 2022.
Add Comment