The intent of Bill C-11 is to promote Canadian content. However, in essence, it’s a form of censorship legislation that gives the CRTC (Canada’s broadcast media regulator) the power to manipulate what content you get recommended on audio-visual platforms like YouTube. Want to keep watching content that you like? If you’re located in Canada, you can use a VPN to get around any form of censorship or internet restrictions. For Canada users, we recommend NordVPN. This VPN has very fast servers, excellent features, and great unblocking powers! However, there is certainly a history of censorship in Canada. Moreover, with the arrival of Bill C-11, what has become known as the Canadian Internet Censorship Bill, the Canadian government may gain a lot control over online content in the near future. What does this new bill mean for internet users in Canada? And how can you get around censorship? In this article, we tell you everything you need to know.
Media Censorship in Canada
According to international watchdog organization Freedom House, “Canada has a strong history of respect for political rights and civil liberties.” Censorship in Canada pales into comparison with countries like Iran or Myanmar. For example, the government doesn’t exercise any technical or legal control over the internet infrastructure. This does not mean, however, that there is no censorship at all. In fact, the recent development of Bill C-11 will allow the Canadian authorities a worrisome degree of control over the web, particularly when it comes to user-generated content. This means you’ll be more limited in what you’re able to browse, watch, or stream. In order to understand how we got there, let’s take a look at Canada’s media landscape.
Freedom of press
Canada generally demonstrates a strong commitment to press freedom. Media outlets are allowed to operate independently, both in print and online. Political parties do not exercise any control over the media, though media bias is present, naturally. Regardless of its foundation, there is still room for improvement. In 2016, news broke that Montreal police had been spying on seven journalists, keeping track of their outgoing and incoming phone records. In 2017, journalist Justin Brake was arrested for reporting on indigenous-led resistance protests at Muskrat Falls. In general, First Nations communities and journalists still face challenges and disparities when it comes to media freedom, in particular when it comes to rights, protests, and land disputes. According to Reporters Without Borders, this demonstrates that “more legal protections, or better application of existing legal protections, are necessary for Canadian journalists.” Notably, there is also a clear concentration of power in the Canadian media landscape: over 80% of all media is owned by just five corporations.
Broadcast media
Broadcast media in Canada are regulated by the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council and The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). Generally, the power of the CRTC to regulate broadcast content is only exercised in the most serious of cases. However, over the course of the last two years, the CRTC has been granted a lot more authority. For example, they have determined that all broadcasters need to air a minimum amount of Canadian content, colloquially called “CanCon.” The breakdown is as follows:
35% of commercial radio stations 50% of CBC and Radio Canada stations 55% of all programming on broadcast television stations
This is a type of censorship, even if its aim is to promote Canadian creators. The regulations have been criticized for its subjective understanding of what qualifies as “Canadian content.” A show like The Handmaid’s Tale, for example, though based on the work by Canadian author Margaret Atwood, does not qualify as “CanCon.” Similarly, productions filmed in Canada, which employ Canadian nationals, might also not qualify.
Telecommunications
There are three mobile service providers in Canada that dominate the market. Together, Bell, TELUS, and Rogers serve 90.2% of wireless subscribers. Many Canadian citizens feel that these options are very limited and that it allows the companies to keep the prices artificially high. Indeed, Canada’s wireless prices are some of the highest in the world. On top of that, it makes the network very vulnerable to widespread outages. For instance, in July 2022, more than 10 million Canadians were cut off from their internet and wireless services following a massive outage at Rogers.
Internet censorship and content regulation
Bloggers and online commentators are free to speak their mind on political and social issues, as long as this does not violate the hate speech provisions in Canada’s criminal code. Online harassment, such as cyberstalking, is both a criminal threat offense and an actionable civil tort. When it comes to content regulation, the government of Canada does not generally block IP addresses or filter websites, nor does it force internet service providers (ISPs) to do so. In 2018, a Quebec law that would allow ISPs to block access to online gambling websites, was struck down by the Quebec Superior Court. In November 2019, all major ISPs in Canada received a court order to block domains associated with copyright infringement. Users were kept from these websites via the domain name system and blocking of IP addresses. Additionally, in January 2021, the CRTC came under fire for consultation on a different blocking initiative, designed “to strengthen Canadians’ online safety.” This strategy was aimed at regulating websites infected with botnets. It was criticized for over-blocking legitimate websites, as well as being a potential gateway to a more expansive approach to internet blocking. Such a regulation system seems to have come about in a different form, after all, with Bill C-11. This bill isn’t aimed at piracy or botnets, instead putting user-generated content at risk of being censored.
Bill C-11: More Harm Than Good?
The Online Streaming Act (Bill C-11) is a new Canadian bill that has been debated over the course of 2022. It is an updated version of the previous Bill C-10 that seeks to further expand the CRTC’s reach. It was introduced to Parliament on February 3rd, 2022, by Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez. The focus of the bill is on CRTC-mandated regulations for the “discoverability” requirements on audio-visual streaming platforms. This means the bill affects streaming services such as Netflix, but also platforms like Spotify, YouTube and TikTok.
What does Bill C-11 do?
Bill C-11 is an attempt at modernizing the Broadcasting Act of 1991, in order to account for the increase in digital media and is still in deliberation. In essence, the bill is meant to prioritize the “needs and interests” of Canadians by focusing on promotion of Canadian content (CanCon) online. It gives the CRTC the power to regulate almost all audio-visual content. Large social media companies and streaming services will be compelled to support CanCon on their platforms by improving the discoverability of Canadian content. What this means, in reality, is that the CRTC can require all broadcasters to comply with new conditions and obligations, including making contributions to the Canada Media Fund and giving prominence to Canadian content. Improving “discoverability,” in essence, is done by regulating the algorithms that show you recommended content on your favorite platforms. Let’s take a look at the implications this will have.
Why is Bill C-11 controversial?
There are several reasons why Bill C-11 is considered an imperfect and controversial bill that can set a dangerous precedent.
CanCon
As for the CanCon regulations on broadcasting media, the parameters for what is considered “Canadian content” are painfully vague in Bill C-11. Some creators might fly under the radar while others will receive disproportionate attention. Moreover, it creates a limited and monolithic idea of what it means for something to be “Canadian.”
User-generated content
The effects for user-generated content include serious infringements on freedom of expression. Since the CRTC essentially determines what content gets promoted and recommended, creators will be incentivized to try and satisfy CRTC-approved requirements. This is both a form of self-censorship as well as thinly-veiled propaganda on part of the CRTC.
Target
The bill is aimed at social media giants and streaming services but has a much wider scope than that. Certainly, YouTube’s own censorship and algorithm manipulation is a source of controversy. But Bill-11 will not be able to solely target companies, without limiting users’ experience in the process.
Power to censor
Bill C-11 grants the CRTC an unusual amount of regulatory power. It sets a precedent that the government decides what content is and isn’t worthy of promotion and attention. This will limit the diversity of content on both user-generated platforms as well as streaming services. While the legislation may be created from a place of good intention, the reality is that, in its current form, it does more harm than good. Moreover, it’s a shocking display of censorship that is in clear contrast with Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedom.
Why Does Canada Censor the Internet?
In most countries, censorship is used a tool for political oppression. The Great Firewall of China is meant to filter out any website or app that is considered a threat to China’s national security. The same goes for North Korea. In places like India, censorship is used to shape public opinion. This is not entirely the same for Canada. Censorship is much more subtle, though still a means of control. In part, bills such as the Online Streaming Act are economically motivated. Streaming sites have become immensely popular in the last couple of years. Bill C-11 will put certain limitations on their market power. Under Bill C-11, big social media corporations and streaming platforms will have to prioritize CanCon on their platforms, as well as contribute financially to the Canadian Media Fund. These type of censorship practices are part of a larger government struggle with the role of big tech companies in society. Regulation of these companies is always complicated by the inherent tension between net neutrality vs. content moderation. On the one hand, lack of content moderation has been linked to the rise in online extremism, as well as democratic polarization. On the other hand, giving governments the power to determine which content is and isn’t allowed sets a dangerous precedent, as evidenced by censorship in Russia and Ukraine. For the Canadian government, the aim of Bill C-11 might not be to increase censorship. However, unfortunately, it’s looking like this will be the inevitable outcome.
How to Get Around Censorship in Canada
If you’re in Canada, you’ll notice the effects of the new internet censorship bill in what content is recommended to you online. On top of that, the priority for CanCon might make it more difficult to watch some of your favorite foreign shows on streaming sites. Luckily, there’s a way around these restrictions: using a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN has many benefits, but we highlight two of them.
Change your real IP address
With a VPN, you can change your IP address and unblock content from around the world. This is because a VPN can connect you to foreign servers all over the world. If you do this, your own (Canadian) IP address will automatically change to the IP address of this server. If you connect to an American VPN server, for example, it will look like you’re located in the United States, even when you’re not. This allows you to unblock any American content that’s otherwise unavailable to you, such as Hulu or HBO Max.
Encrypt your data
Another great advantage to a VPN is that your data will be automatically encrypted. VPN providers use the best of the best encryption, which will keep all your private data, including personal communications and bank accounts, safe from any prying eyes. This also allows you to browse the web anonymously, if you like. Canada is part of the 5, 9, 14 Eyes alliance. This is a group of countries that share intelligence data among one another in ways that violate user privacy. Indeed, Freedom House states that, “In recent years, [Canadian] citizens have been concerned about the scope of government surveillance laws and privacy rights. Thankfully, most VPNs have special features that keep you even safer online. But how do you know which VPN to choose for Canada?
Choosing a VPN for Canada
For users in Canada, it will be pertinent that your VPN allows you to bypass VPN blocks and other restrictions. On top of that, you want your VPN to be reliable, fast, and easy to use. When determining our best VPNs for Canada, we paid specific attention to the following characteristics:
Encryption: It’s important that your VPN protects your data. This is why you’ll want to choose a VPN with a high standard of encryption, as well as a variety of VPN protocols. Privacy: An essential element of online security, is a VPN’s privacy policy. You’re best off with a VPN that doesn’t log any personal data, also known as a no-log VPN. Server network: The larger a VPN server network, the easier it is to unblock content from around the world. Speed: While it’s not the most essential element in choosing a VPN, you don’t want to be stuck with a slow VPN that makes browsing impossible. Customer service: Finally, you want to be able to quickly reach out to customer service, in case there are any issues with your VPN. Ideally, the VPN provider should offer a 24/7 live chat.
Of course, the best VPN for Canada is one that scores exceptionally well on all these fronts and is also affordable. This is why NordVPN is certainly the best Canada VPN around. If you are looking for a free VPN, we recommend checking out our recommendations list of best free VPN services. Keep in mind, however, that using a free VPN often comes with certain limitations.
The Three Best VPNs for Canada
Here are the three top VPNs that you can use in Canada.
1. NordVPN
NordVPN is the best Canada VPN for many reasons. It’s a feature-rich VPN that’s at the top of the market at the moment. Enjoying high speeds, an extensive server network and excellent encryption, you can use NordVPN to unblock content from anywhere. When it comes to security, NordVPN’s AES-265 encryption and variety of available protocols keep you protected from online threats. On top of that, there are special torrenting servers (P2P) and even servers that are designed for The Onion Router (Tor network servers). Moreover, for increased anonymity, you can use MultiHop to run your internet connection via two servers. NordVPN also uses obfuscation technology to get around VPN blocks and prevent Deep Packet Inspection of your internet traffic. This hides the fact that you’re using a VPN from your internet service provider. While using a VPN is completely legal in Canada, legislation is subject to change. Additionally, streaming platforms such as Netflix have been pushing back against VPN use by trying to block VPNs. Obfsproxy will allow you to keep watching Netflix content from around the world. Obviously, NordVPN is also a very user-friendly VPN. The software is easy to navigate, servers are very fast, and you can even use cryptocurrency, among other payment methods, to purchase your VPN.
2. Surfshark
Surfshark remains one of the best value-for-money options for people that are looking for an affordable VPN without compromising on the features. It offers all the features that you’d expect, ranging from a kill switch, split tunneling, and a fairly excellent server network. Surfshark can be used to unblock streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, or Prime Video, and also offers DNS leak protection and MultiHop connectivity.
3. CyberGhost
CyberGhost is another reliable VPN that’s also very low-priced. They offer a network of 7,000+ servers and are confident enough to provide a 45-day money-back guarantee too. Their VPN apps are available on virtually all platforms, and it supports up to seven simultaneous connections with a single account. It’s also the cheapest VPN that you can find, and works perfectly in Canada, offering all the features that you’d want from a top-tier VPN.
Get Past Restrictions with a Canada VPN
While Canada is certainly not the most restrictive country when it comes to internet freedom, the progress on Bill C-11 shows how likely it is that online censorship might increase in the next few months. By giving this much regulatory power to the CRTC, the Canadian government will inevitably compromise net neutrality. The bill might be created on good intention, but it will likely do more harm than good. Luckily, you’ll be able to avoid the negative consequences of this new legislation with use of a VPN. For Canada, we recommend NordVPN for its ability to unblock content from around the world, its competitive price, and the fact that it will certainly improve your general cyber hygiene. The aim of the bill is to improve the “discoverability” of Canadian content. In essence, the algorithm that suggests recommended videos will be regulated by the CRTC. The bill has been criticized for being vague and damaging to content creators, and for setting a bad precedent when it comes to government oversight and censorship.
