Canada Wants To Regulate Podcasts in the Future

October 3, 2023October 3, 2023 Top Quality Canada canada, CRTC, Free speech, freedom of expression, Government of Canada, MEDIA, Podcast, regulation, Restriction, Streaming

A new “regulatory plan” was unveiled by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) for streaming services that are based in Canada, generate $10,000,000 or more in revenue yearly, and provide broadcast content (podcasts). The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CRTC) claims that this is a fresh approach to “modernize” media legislation in Canada so that in the future, social media or streaming services like Netflix “make meaningful contributions to Canadian and Indigenous content.”

Podcasters must now register with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) as part of the next phase of regulation under the recently passed Online Streaming Act of the Trudeau administration.The Canadian government is moving the Online Streaming Act into a new phase of regulations that will necessitate registration with the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and adherence to new guidelines that will be revealed in the upcoming weeks. Platforms like YouTube, Netflix, TikTok, Spotify, Rumble, and X will probably be included in this.

However, detractors claim that this new law actually aims to stifle free speech and muzzle the few still-vibrant oppositional voices in Canada.

Famous Canadians and other influential people have raised their concerns due to this new regulations, restricting streaming platforms including podcasts. Jordan Peterson, Canadian Clinical Psychologist and world famous speaker has harshly replied to the new government “modernization” of streaming and podcasting.

Take your
"Modernization"
And stuff it where the sun
Never shines@CRTCeng https://t.co/AJcZ7VGA1A
— Dr Jordan B Peterson (@jordanbpeterson) October 2, 2023

Elon Musk said in his tweet that this is just another free speech restriction in Canada.

Trudeau is trying to crush free speech in Canada. Shameful. https://t.co/oHFFvyBGxu
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 1, 2023

Restriction or Modernization?

While surely some streaming aspects in Canada where multi million companies offer movies at a price, government could benefit from taxes. Yet to regulate private and independent podcasts? This certainly does not fly well among anybody who wants to have free speech and free expression.

Notably, this is not the first time the Trudeau administration has allegedly interfered with free expression.

For the first time in Canada’s history, Mr. Trudeau declared a state of emergency in February 2022 to give his administration more authority to deal with trucker protests at the time that were against vaccine requirements.