Michael Geist
@mgeist.bsky.social
Law Professor, Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law, University of Ottawa
www.michaelgeist.ca
Law Bytes Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5iDUCcDrkzGai0OdTgoucv
http://mgeist.substack.com
www.michaelgeist.ca
Law Bytes Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5iDUCcDrkzGai0OdTgoucv
http://mgeist.substack.com
Canadian government hits reset button on TikTok corporate ban. Ban never made sense given that the app itself was left untouched. Federal court has granted a consent order dismissing prior review of decision (not a rejection on merits). The government will conduct a new review.
January 21, 2026 at 7:16 PM
Canadian government hits reset button on TikTok corporate ban. Ban never made sense given that the app itself was left untouched. Federal court has granted a consent order dismissing prior review of decision (not a rejection on merits). The government will conduct a new review.
CRTC Says No Regulatory Action Planned Against Meta For Blocking News Links
www.michaelgeist.ca/2025/12/crtc...
www.michaelgeist.ca/2025/12/crtc...
December 4, 2025 at 3:21 PM
CRTC Says No Regulatory Action Planned Against Meta For Blocking News Links
www.michaelgeist.ca/2025/12/crtc...
www.michaelgeist.ca/2025/12/crtc...
Fourth, as posted earlier today, it tables a new Stablecoin Act, modelled after the U.S. GENIUS Act.
www.michaelgeist.ca/2025/11/cana...
www.michaelgeist.ca/2025/11/cana...
November 19, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Fourth, as posted earlier today, it tables a new Stablecoin Act, modelled after the U.S. GENIUS Act.
www.michaelgeist.ca/2025/11/cana...
www.michaelgeist.ca/2025/11/cana...
Third, it amends PIPEDA, the private sector privacy law, by adding a new data mobility right.
November 19, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Third, it amends PIPEDA, the private sector privacy law, by adding a new data mobility right.
Second, it fixes the mistaken deletion of privacy safeguards in the Broadcasting Act. This provision was included in Bill C-11 and deleted soon after becoming law. No one noticed for two years.
November 19, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Second, it fixes the mistaken deletion of privacy safeguards in the Broadcasting Act. This provision was included in Bill C-11 and deleted soon after becoming law. No one noticed for two years.
The government's Budget Implementation Act (Bill C-15) features several notable digital policy provisions. First, it implements the repeal of the Digital Services Tax.
November 19, 2025 at 4:35 PM
The government's Budget Implementation Act (Bill C-15) features several notable digital policy provisions. First, it implements the repeal of the Digital Services Tax.
Politico Canada reports that the government is changing its approach on online harms legislation with plans to break up the former Bill C-63 into smaller pieces with shared responsibility among several government departments.
November 7, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Politico Canada reports that the government is changing its approach on online harms legislation with plans to break up the former Bill C-63 into smaller pieces with shared responsibility among several government departments.
Lost in Budget 2025 is that the government promised a data mobility right in PIPEDA. This comes at same time that AI Minister Evan Solomon has said he will lead on a new privacy bill in Canada. Is the privacy reform a new bill (as in C-27) or tweaks to PIPEDA?
budget.canada.ca/2025/report-...
budget.canada.ca/2025/report-...
November 5, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Lost in Budget 2025 is that the government promised a data mobility right in PIPEDA. This comes at same time that AI Minister Evan Solomon has said he will lead on a new privacy bill in Canada. Is the privacy reform a new bill (as in C-27) or tweaks to PIPEDA?
budget.canada.ca/2025/report-...
budget.canada.ca/2025/report-...
Canadian government departments are big believers that AI will be the source of reducing expenses. Finance, Justice, CRTC, Fisheries, CRA, ESDC all cite new efficiencies from AI to explain how they will meet the 15% spending reduction target in the budget.
November 4, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Canadian government departments are big believers that AI will be the source of reducing expenses. Finance, Justice, CRTC, Fisheries, CRA, ESDC all cite new efficiencies from AI to explain how they will meet the 15% spending reduction target in the budget.
Finally, government is going to fix its error in the Broadcasting Act, when it inadvertently deleted the privacy protection provision found in Bill C-11.
November 4, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Finally, government is going to fix its error in the Broadcasting Act, when it inadvertently deleted the privacy protection provision found in Bill C-11.
Fourth, the government also renews promise to introduce a new artists resale right in the Copyright Act.
November 4, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Fourth, the government also renews promise to introduce a new artists resale right in the Copyright Act.
Third, as reported earlier this week, the government plans to introduce new stablecoin legislation following a similar approach in the U.S.
November 4, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Third, as reported earlier this week, the government plans to introduce new stablecoin legislation following a similar approach in the U.S.
Second, no surprise that there are plenty of AI related promises including money “to support a large-scale sovereign public AI infrastructure that will boost AI compute availability and support access to sovereign AI compute capacity for public and private research.”
November 4, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Second, no surprise that there are plenty of AI related promises including money “to support a large-scale sovereign public AI infrastructure that will boost AI compute availability and support access to sovereign AI compute capacity for public and private research.”
Canadian federal budget is out. Five of the digital policy issues to note: First, the government announces a series of new measures focused on intellectual property with an emphasis on businesses using and commercializing IP.
budget.canada.ca/2025/report-...
budget.canada.ca/2025/report-...
November 4, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Canadian federal budget is out. Five of the digital policy issues to note: First, the government announces a series of new measures focused on intellectual property with an emphasis on businesses using and commercializing IP.
budget.canada.ca/2025/report-...
budget.canada.ca/2025/report-...
And there it is. Notice paper includes a new border measures bill suggesting that the government is backing down on including lawful access in Bill C-2. Perhaps the privacy backlash + lack of support in a minority government had an impact.
www.ourcommons.ca/documentview...
www.ourcommons.ca/documentview...
October 7, 2025 at 12:29 AM
And there it is. Notice paper includes a new border measures bill suggesting that the government is backing down on including lawful access in Bill C-2. Perhaps the privacy backlash + lack of support in a minority government had an impact.
www.ourcommons.ca/documentview...
www.ourcommons.ca/documentview...
It has been an exceptionally challenging year for the Jewish community in Canada, facing antisemitism most of us never imagined possible. Wishing all who celebrate a Shana Tova with hope for a happy, healthy and safe new year in which we all work to bring this normalcy of antisemitism to an end.
September 22, 2025 at 3:25 PM
It has been an exceptionally challenging year for the Jewish community in Canada, facing antisemitism most of us never imagined possible. Wishing all who celebrate a Shana Tova with hope for a happy, healthy and safe new year in which we all work to bring this normalcy of antisemitism to an end.
Government’s proposed Criminal Code reform in Bill C-9 targets “intent to provoke a state of fear in a person in order to impede their access to” places of worship, community centres, educational institutions, daycares, senior residences, and cemeteries.
www.parl.ca/DocumentView...
www.parl.ca/DocumentView...
September 19, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Government’s proposed Criminal Code reform in Bill C-9 targets “intent to provoke a state of fear in a person in order to impede their access to” places of worship, community centres, educational institutions, daycares, senior residences, and cemeteries.
www.parl.ca/DocumentView...
www.parl.ca/DocumentView...
If you relied on Liberal MP Judy Sgro's analysis of lawful access in Bill C-2 in the House of Commons yesterday, you wouldn’t know the bill also includes a warrantless information demand power and applies to all providers of services, not just digital data.
www.ourcommons.ca/documentview...
www.ourcommons.ca/documentview...
September 18, 2025 at 1:58 PM
If you relied on Liberal MP Judy Sgro's analysis of lawful access in Bill C-2 in the House of Commons yesterday, you wouldn’t know the bill also includes a warrantless information demand power and applies to all providers of services, not just digital data.
www.ourcommons.ca/documentview...
www.ourcommons.ca/documentview...
Increased security so your kids can go to school. Increased security for your family to go to synagogue. Increased security to attend a Jewish community centre event. Now increased security so you can go grocery shopping. Being Jewish in Canada in 2025.
www.instagram.com/p/DN6CLrICX4...
www.instagram.com/p/DN6CLrICX4...
August 28, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Increased security so your kids can go to school. Increased security for your family to go to synagogue. Increased security to attend a Jewish community centre event. Now increased security so you can go grocery shopping. Being Jewish in Canada in 2025.
www.instagram.com/p/DN6CLrICX4...
www.instagram.com/p/DN6CLrICX4...
Seeing Cabinet ministers and MPs wait for the PM to comment on the antisemitic attack in Montreal and then follow with roughly the same script - devoid of the word antisemitism - isn't leadership and isn't good enough. Explicitly calling out antisemitism should not be hard.
August 10, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Seeing Cabinet ministers and MPs wait for the PM to comment on the antisemitic attack in Montreal and then follow with roughly the same script - devoid of the word antisemitism - isn't leadership and isn't good enough. Explicitly calling out antisemitism should not be hard.
Let Competition Be the Guide: Why the Government and CRTC Got It Right on Wholesale Fibre Broadband Access
www.michaelgeist.ca/2025/08/let-...
www.michaelgeist.ca/2025/08/let-...
August 7, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Let Competition Be the Guide: Why the Government and CRTC Got It Right on Wholesale Fibre Broadband Access
www.michaelgeist.ca/2025/08/let-...
www.michaelgeist.ca/2025/08/let-...
The Jewish community constitutes less than 1% of Canada’s population yet once again it is the most targeted group for hate crimes in the country according to Statscan data on police reporting.
thecjn.ca/news/jews-we...
thecjn.ca/news/jews-we...
July 24, 2025 at 2:13 PM
The Jewish community constitutes less than 1% of Canada’s population yet once again it is the most targeted group for hate crimes in the country according to Statscan data on police reporting.
thecjn.ca/news/jews-we...
thecjn.ca/news/jews-we...
From Politico Canada this morning: Prime Minister Carney said to have confirmed that permanent removal of the digital service tax via legislation coming in the fall.
July 22, 2025 at 2:33 PM
From Politico Canada this morning: Prime Minister Carney said to have confirmed that permanent removal of the digital service tax via legislation coming in the fall.
Successful intervention for @cippic.bsky.social in Voltage Pictures v. Salna, a reverse class action file sharing case. Court specifically agrees with its submission on Parliament’s intent to limit ISP involvement in copyright infringement litigation.
decisions.fca-caf.ca/fca-caf/deci...
decisions.fca-caf.ca/fca-caf/deci...
July 17, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Successful intervention for @cippic.bsky.social in Voltage Pictures v. Salna, a reverse class action file sharing case. Court specifically agrees with its submission on Parliament’s intent to limit ISP involvement in copyright infringement litigation.
decisions.fca-caf.ca/fca-caf/deci...
decisions.fca-caf.ca/fca-caf/deci...
Clearview AI privacy class action is back on in Quebec. Federal Court of Appeal overturns lower court decision that dismissed motion for class certification. Heads back to Federal Court determine if the class can be certified.
decisions.fca-caf.ca/fca-caf/deci...
decisions.fca-caf.ca/fca-caf/deci...
July 17, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Clearview AI privacy class action is back on in Quebec. Federal Court of Appeal overturns lower court decision that dismissed motion for class certification. Heads back to Federal Court determine if the class can be certified.
decisions.fca-caf.ca/fca-caf/deci...
decisions.fca-caf.ca/fca-caf/deci...