Blog
Page 8 of 10
Feb 13
2017
Minorities and Free Expression
Free expression may be the most important freedom in a democracy. It is the lifeblood of truth. Free expression rights are ostensibly a measure to protect minorities, especially oppressed minorities. Enabling a minority to speak truth to power is a beautiful thing. Nevertheless, free expression can pose difficult challenges for minorities.
By Abbas Kassam / Posted Monday February 13, 2017
Feb 6
2017
Calling Out Fake News without Suppressing Expression. Can it be done?
In January, perhaps reacting to some of the more interesting “alternative facts” stories emerging from the United States, Canadian Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly tweeted the following:
What role can government play to support credible sources and counter the fake news phenomenon? #DigiCanCon #cdnpoli
By John Degen / Posted Monday February 6, 2017
Jan 30
2017
Journalism Ethics 101 in China
Teaching a news “ethics” course in the fledgling journalism program at Jinan University in Guangzhou, China, proved to be a challenge, given the restraints on freedom of expression now occurring under the regime of President Xi Jinping.
It was only April, but I could feel the sweat trickling down my neck in the oppressive heat in Guangzhou - a city of 12 million about two hours north of Hong Kong on the coastal mainland. But the temperature wasn’t why I was sweating.
By Anne McNeilly / Posted Monday January 30, 2017
Jan 20
2017
Praying in School
The Peel District School Board, a public and secular board of education, met recently to decide what Muslim students should be permitted to say during their Friday Jumu’ah prayers.
A secular non-Muslim authority is requiring students to have their approval for the content of religious observances. What does this say about freedom of religion? And what about freedom of expression?
By Danielle S. McLaughlin / Posted Friday January 20, 2017
Jan 13
2017
Journalists, police, and democracy
Last fall the news broke that Quebec police forces had been spying on journalists, over a period of time and almost as a matter of routine. Not only did Montreal police obtain warrants to tap into the phone and electronics of Patrick Lagacé (La Presse), close to a dozen reporters and journalists have been monitored by municipal and provincial forces, acting with and without warrants. The ensuing outrage focused on the alarming invasion of privacy and revelation that some violations took place with the law’s blessing, under warrants issued by justices of the peace.
By Jamie Cameron / Posted Friday January 13, 2017
Dec 28
2016
A Word worth a Thousand Pictures
Many people understand that humanity and the planetary ecosystem are at grave risk from nuclear weapons and climate change. But many more are only dimly aware or worse, ignore or deny these risks.
By Jon Thompson / Posted Wednesday December 28, 2016
Dec 20
2016
BDS Advocacy, Antisemitism, and Free Speech
The Ontario Legislature has joined a number of other legislative bodies and political organizations in condemning the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign directed at the state of Israel – which according to the campaign website is intended, “to end international support for Israel's oppression of Palestinians and pressure Israel to comply with international law”.
By Richard Moon / Posted Tuesday December 20, 2016
Dec 13
2016
The Right to Be Forgotten
Every interaction by or about a person on the Internet, whether intended as public, semi-private, or private, is vulnerable to instant digital tattooing. For this reason, the right to be forgotten is emerging as a compelling companion to privacy. Privacy, like Article 19, features in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 12 states: “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation.
By Toni Samek / Posted Tuesday December 13, 2016
Dec 5
2016
The Rhetoric of Rape Culture
“Rape culture” has become a surprisingly elastic term. It stretches beyond perceived injustices, like the acquittal of Jian Ghomeshi, to include things like a catchy hit by Justin Bieber, or a call from CanLit authors for due process in the Steven Galloway firing. The ambitious concept purp
By Ummni Khan / Posted Monday December 5, 2016
Nov 30
2016
Filter Bubbles and Fake News. How Free is our Individual Expression on the Internet?
A while back, I made the decision to take a longish vacation from all things social media. The weeks (months… years…) leading up to the last American election saw my various social feeds fill with bile, anger and surprisingly little fact-based discussion. It exhausted me to shovel all that stuff out of the way each day in order to get at the nuggets of book news and friend updates I was actually looking for.
By John Degen / Posted Wednesday November 30, 2016