Liberals’ Online Streaming Bill C-11 Passes Parliament
Bill C-11 was introduced early last year to subject streaming giants like Netflix and YouTube to the same regulations that apply to traditional TV and radio broadcasters in Canada.
A controversial government bill that would overhaul Canadian broadcasting laws to regulate streaming services is set to become law Thursday evening.
Bill C-11 aims to ensure that increasingly popular and lucrative social media platforms and streaming services such as Netflix, Crave, Spotify, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and YouTube are subject to Canadian content requirements and regulations comparable to traditional broadcasting companies. The policy change comes with a requirement that these platforms invest millions in Canadian content and creators.
Much of the true scope of the legislation still needs to be clarified in the form of policy direction that the government must now provide to the CRTC. This process will clarify what powers the regulator will have and what rules will be formally established, likely laying the groundwork for future cases.
