huridocs-tech Canadian regulator to keep hands off Internet

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## author     : uppercaise@iname.com
## date       : 20.05.99
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Canadian regulator to keep hands off Internet
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The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications
Commission said Monday that it would not regulate the
Internet because it does not fall under the definition of
broadcasting under the country's Broadcasting Act.

The commission's report follows a 10-month review that heard
from nearly 80 organisations and considered more than 1,000
submissions. The commission said Canadian companies creating
content for the Internet are enjoying success and regulation
could put them at a competitive disadvantage.

Some groups had asked the commission to control content,
including hate literature, pornography and Spam, or unwanted
e-mail broadcasts. The regulator's decision means that the
Internet industry itself, software designed to filter
content, and the Criminal Code will continue to act as lines
of defence against such abuses.

The commission is one of the first regulators in the world
to set Internet policy, said Francoise Bertrand, chair of
the commission. It joins groups in New Zealand and Australia
which have adopted similar hands-off approaches, she said.

Source:
http://www.mediacentral.com/channels/allnews/05_17_1999.reuff-story-bccanadacrtc.html - Media Central




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