Blog
Page 8 of 14
May 24
2018
Networking the Law of Defamation
Even as technology transforms the world of communication – as it has over the course of history – defamation law remains strangely impervious to change. True enough, the law has evolved over time – indeed centuries – but nonetheless seems as beholden as ever to an archaic muddle of backwater rules and concepts.
By Jamie Cameron / Posted Thursday May 24, 2018
May 17
2018
The Nurse’s Facebook Case that calls into question the reasonableness of the “reasonableness standard”
The Disciplinary Committee of the Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association (SRNA) says that Carolyn Strom engaged in professional misconduct in her comments on Facebook and Twitter about her grandfather’s end-of-life care. Ms.
By Micheal Vonn / Posted Thursday May 17, 2018
May 11
2018
Disinformation by Quantification
We are seeing a rapid expansion of the use of metrics (quantitative methods) for assessing performance and directing behaviour of states and public institutions. This is not a new idea but one that has many adverse effects. Use of metrics can (1) encroach on matters (such as human values[1]) not properly assessable by quantitative means, and can (2) be misused even in traditionally quantitative matters (such as accounting fraud).
By Jon Thompson / Posted Friday May 11, 2018
May 3
2018
Censoring Consensual Sex Workers will not Save the Sex Trafficked
On April 11, 2018, President Trump signed into law two anti-trafficking bills which will not only censor consensual sex workers, but will also profoundly affect freedom of expression on-line.
By Lara Karaian / Posted Thursday May 3, 2018
Apr 25
2018
Kudos to University of Alberta President for Strong Defence of Academic Integrity In Face of Fierce Onslaught
At a time when academic freedom and university integrity are under widespread attack, University of Alberta President David Turpin has courageously defended the university as an institution founded on the principles of freedom of inquiry, academic integrity, and independence.
His institution is under siege for deciding to offer an honorary degree to David Suzuki, the eminent Canadian geneticist, science broadcaster, environmental activist and human rights advocate.
By James L Turk / Posted Wednesday April 25, 2018
Apr 19
2018
We Elect Trustees: We Can Vote Them Out Too
Barry Neufeld is a man with many opinions – but, not everyone thinks he should be permitted to express them. Mr. Neufeld is an elected trustee of the Chilliwack, BC school board. He believes that the school board's new sex education curriculum is bad for kids. He is particularly upset that it teaches about gender identity and transgender people.
By Danielle S. McLaughlin / Posted Thursday April 19, 2018
Apr 10
2018
Campus Speech and the Inflation of Harm
There’s more interest in campus free expression than we have seen since the Great Student Revolts of 1968, or even further back in the last century, in the arguments of the 1930s and 1940s over fascism, social democracy, war and peace.
By William Bruneau / Posted Tuesday April 10, 2018
Mar 26
2018
Privacy Commissioner's Draft Report on a "Right to be de-indexed" is Cause for Concern
In its recent draft Position on Online Reputation, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) has suggested the options of removing webpages from search engine results, or “de-indexing”, along with “source takedown.”
By Andrea Gonsalves / Posted Monday March 26, 2018
Co-written by Justin Safayeni
Mar 19
2018
Applying the Openness Principle to Administrative Tribunals
The Toronto Star has brought an application before the Ontario Superior Court asking for a declaration that the open court principle should apply to administrative tribunals – that their proceedings and records be public in the same way that court proceedings and records are public.
By Abbas Kassam / Posted Monday March 19, 2018
Feb 20
2018
Toronto Public Library Is Committed to Intellectual Freedom: A Response to “’No Platforming’ should have no place in a Public Library”
The No Platforming blog post calls on the Library Board to reconsider its revised room booking policy. The blog refers to TPL as “detouring from its mandate” and the revised policy as “a misguided endeavor”, suggesting TPL’s commitment to intellectual freedom has been undermined.
By Vickery Bowles / Posted Tuesday February 20, 2018