In 2021, online content and service delivery models will continue to proliferate, workplaces will stay remote and we will usher in the 5G era of mobile wireless communications. The public importance of ubiquitous wide and narrowband Internet connectivity will only increase as everything from the consumer retail sector, the travel and short-term accommodation industry, the taxi industry, and the health and wellness sectors, to name but a few, are increasingly being overtaken by technology companies reliant on ubiquitous and reliable Internet access. Along with the roll-out of edge computing and new applications such as ultra-reliable low latency communications, enhanced mobile broadband, or massive machine type communications, and new practical applications for big data and Artificial Intelligence (“AI”), 2021 will in many ways represent a watershed moment in Canada’s efforts to harness online service providers and platforms. We anticipate a packed legislative and regulatory reform agenda for the communications and information technology sectors. Specifically, in 2021, we can expect:
A. Measures intended to remove the ring fences that previously may have excluded online service providers and retailers from regulation;
B. Continued focus on broadband deployment and universal access to broadband; and
C. Building on the Digital Charter Implementation Act, 2020, measures to promote ethical decision-making and accountability as a means to ensure the resilience of Canada’s democracy and that the online experience remains accessible, free of hate and harassment, and secure from cyber threats.
Read the latest article in our Dentons’ Pick of Canadian Regulatory Trends to Watch in 2021 series here.
This piece was originally published on dentons.com
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