December 20, 2017
It’s scary — Bell, Cineplex, Shaw, and Rogers are trying to censor the internet and force the end of net neutrality in Canada. And worse, they’re trying to do it behind closed doors.
These 4 companies, led by Bell, are pushing to create an internet “blacklist” of certain websites that all internet service providers in Canada would legally have to block. They know this outrageous proposal would never pass, so first, they tried to sneak it into NAFTA negotiations — and now Bell is expected to introduce its proposal to Canada’s telecom regulator TOMORROW.
Critics are calling this move “unprecedented” and dangerous. If these companies get their way, this internet blacklist would have absolutely zero oversight in the courts. We need to stop this urgently.
Bell is pushing hard for the creation of an “Internet Piracy Review Agency” (IPRA) that would maintain a blacklist of websites, which all internet providers in Canada would be required to block with no court oversight. And right now, Shaw, Cineplex and other corporations support the proposal.
Bell is Canada’s largest telecommunications company, and it raked in $22 billion last year in profit. If Bell manages to get this proposal approved, it won’t stop there. Blocking one type of content opens the door to more, and is one step closer to ending net neutrality and greater corporate control.
Over the past three decades, the internet has evolved into an open landscape of ideas where every voice has a chance to be heard. It is a backbone of democracy and a critical forum of free expression. But big telecom corporations are trying to put corporate profits before the public good.
Canadian copyright laws and the rules enforcing them on the internet are already in place. Changes to these laws should happen through extensive public discourse — not in secret trade negotiations. Bell, Rogers, Shaw, and Cineplex are trying to undermine the democratic system and we need to stop them.
A massive public outcry can force them to back down, but we need to act now to protect the free and open internet. Bell is expected to put its proposal before the CRTC tomorrow. That means we need to speak out now.
Sign Petition through this LINK
More information
Michael Geist (blog). 5 December 2017.
Canadaland. 4 December 2017.
Huffington Post. 28 September 2017.
I would if the link actually worked.
Ed Note: try this LINK
I agree this is dangerous in more ways than 1.
All part of the bigger plan. Contol over every aspect of your life coming soon to a town near you…
It’s time for content providers to lower their prices and make it easier for Canadians to view content without being held Ransom. That’s how you curb piracy.
Instead they want to hang onto their money grabbing pre-streaming business models.
Many industries have had to rebuild their revenue streams based on how the “world” has changed due to the internet and current technologies.
Big brother can go screw them self is this not a free country
Net neutrality is a lie. Nothing neutral about it.. it favors the political left . It needs to be gone.
To hell with Bell!
I agree with Bell and the rest of the companies, media should be screened. There is so much violence, profanity, and sexualized content on TV that makes me sick. It needs to stop, we need more good stuff on TV and this change will help to achieve it.
@Tina Y,
It’s up to you if you want to access a certain website. If you want the “bad” websites to be removed then how come you don’t start requiring people to throw away knifes from their homes because they are dangerous, you can cut yourself… omg. Yes, if you don’t know how to use an object for good things then you’ll end up using it for bad things. It’s up to each of us to decide upon how to use what we have. That’s why we’ve been created to have free will. Enjoy your life! I would rather prefer that a sexual obsessed person to watch “korn” websites rather than walking on a street and rape somebody.
Tina Y….This will absolutely NOT help achieve what you mentioned. You will be watching the same stuff but just charged more. Your problem with sensorship is your own. You can control that stuff in your own house. I don’t think you understand what you’re rooting for…
Let’s block everything but their official website.
@tina, why don’t you go live in China, it’s safe there. At least the internet “is”, by your definition.
Tina y
Obviously another snowflake missing the bus of common sense. Please stay in mommys basement.
Where is the actual petition. All I’ve found is your background. For all I know the actual petition might support Bell etc.
Link to this page for petition
I say lets get back to old dial phones and party lines and phone booths…?
@Tina Y
Exactly ON TV ! Which is already filtered by your cable provider. Try to read article before posting a comment. We are discussing internet. And net neutrality means that everyone gets the same type of access to Internet equally. Giving Bell freedom to control it means that very profitable porn site will load faster then your local crafty store website.
Well it begins. The loss of freedom if they stàrt telling us what we can or cannot watch or who you must use their services..
I am a customer of bell.. and now thinking of taking my service elsewhere because of this bs. Won’t be so big and mighty if everyone follows suit.
Ty, where are you going to, Rogers?
Corporate BS! / Bell u suck
Let them try…..innovation will overcome these elitist corporations……
I agree with Dizzy Twirp it’s all part of the bigger plan to control the minions. Corporations are Not on our side.
Net neutrality may benefit the left or the right. One thing’s for sure: American ISPs would kill to enjoy the kind of margins rung up by Canadian providers. Don’t expect much of anything to change north of the 49th for that very reason.
We find censoring many places on the net. It is never correct.
We deserve better than any of the aforementioned companies deliver. Thats what the internet is about not censorship.