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Media Beat: August 05, 2021

By David Farrell

Toronto, Vancouver Island protests put spotlight on media access

Police and politicians' efforts to limit public access to recent events in Toronto and Vancouver Island have cast a spotlight on the role of journalists and spurred concerns over freedom of the press.


The decision by authorities in Toronto to fence off public parks last month as municipal staff and police cleared homeless encampments sparked backlash from media outlets and advocates, who have petitioned the city to allow reporters on site during the operations.

The push for media access in Toronto came on the heels of a court decision that ordered RCMP in British Columbia to allow reporters entry to blockades in Fairy Creek, where demonstrators have been protesting old-growth logging. – Elena De Luigi, The Canadian Press

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The three next steps required to preserve journalism in the digital age

As Canadian news organizations continue their unsustainable revenue decline, who should step into the breach but Facebook and Google, the two giant platforms that gobble up three quarters of all digital ad dollars?

They have signed secret deals with dozens of desperate publishers to provide financial and other supports.

On the surface, their assistance may appear a positive development. Closer consideration reveals a disturbing new dependency. One of the great functions of journalism is to hold the powerful — political and economic — to account. – Edward Greenspon & Katie Davey, The Star

Zoom reaches US $85M settlement over user privacy, 'Zoombombing'

Zoom Video Communications Inc. has agreed to pay US$85 million and bolster its security practices to settle a lawsuit claiming it violated users' privacy rights by sharing personal data with Facebook, Google and LinkedIn, and letting hackers disrupt Zoom meetings in a practice called Zoombombing.

Though Zoom collected about $1.3B in Zoom Meetings subscriptions from class members, the plaintiffs' lawyers called the $85 million settlement reasonable given the litigation risks. They intend to seek up to $21.25 million for legal fees. – Jonathan Stempel, Reuters

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Drake performs onstage during "Lil Baby & Friends Birthday Celebration Concert" at State Farm Arena on December 9, 2022 in Atlanta.
Prince Williams/Wireimage

Drake performs onstage during "Lil Baby & Friends Birthday Celebration Concert" at State Farm Arena on December 9, 2022 in Atlanta.

Legal News

Spotify Responds To Drake’s UMG Legal Action, Blasting ‘False’ Claims & Demanding Dismissal

The rapper claims Spotify helped UMG boost Kendrick's "Not Like Us," but Spotify now says the action is a "subversion" of the legal system and never should have been filed.

Spotify is firing back at Drake’s accusations that the streamer helped Universal Music Group artificially boost Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” calling the allegations “false” and blasting the rapper’s legal action as a “subversion of the normal judicial process.”

The new filing is the first response to a petition filed last month in which Drake accused UMG and Spotify of an illegal “scheme” involving bots, payola and other methods to pump up Lamar’s song — a track that savagely attacked Drake amid an ongoing feud between the two stars.

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