Google asked the federal broadcast regulator Wednesday to exercise caution and restraint in regulating online platforms.
Representatives from Google, which owns YouTube, appeared before a CRTC hearing on market dynamics. It's one of a series of hearings being held as part of the regulator’s work to implement the Online Streaming Act, which updated broadcasting laws to capture online platforms.
Arun Krishnamurti, senior counsel at Google Canada, said that most content made available on social media platforms is already exempted from regulation under the Online Streaming Act.
But the company is pushing back against the prospect of mandatory data-sharing. The CRTC has said it wants to collect data on revenues and programming expenditures from both traditional and online players, and make that information public.
Google is arguing the proposal raises privacy and confidentiality concerns and could disrupt the market in unintended ways.
It's also taking issue with the application of "undue preference" rules on online platforms.
Those rules state that a CRTC-licensed entity can't give itself or another party an undue disadvantage or advantage. That means, for instance, that a cable company that also owns a broadcasting division can't give its own channels an unfair advantage.
Krishnamurti said undue preference rules were designed for traditional players that own both telecom and broadcasting divisions. For instance, companies like Bell and Rogers are broadcasters and own TV channels, but also sell cable and satellite TV subscriptions.
"Google urges the commission to exercise caution and restraint," he said.
"There's simply no rationale for transposing these regulatory tools onto online undertakings. It would be highly inappropriate for open platforms like YouTube in particular."
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
