Amazon Music Unlimited has launched in Canada, giving Canadian customers access to its catalogue of songs, playlists and personalized stations. Joining the previously-launched Prime Music, Amazon Music Unlimited unlocks millions more songs, including localized programming featuring Canadian artists. Customers have the ability to ask for music on any Alexa-enabled device, including in the Amazon Music app for iOS and Android, by mood, era, genre and title. They can also request a playlist based on activity, set music alarms to wake up to, or return to a song listened to earlier in the day. Eligible customers can enjoy a free 90-day trial for a limited time and choose between a variety of plan options ranging from the Single Device Plan ($3.99/month) to the Family Plan, which allows up to six members of a household to share a subscription for $14.99/month or $149/year for Prime members.
The Competition Bureau has issued letters to operators of online video streaming services in Canada, warning them to review their marketing practices and related terms and conditions. During a review of streaming service websites and applications, the bureau noted that information provided is not always clear and the language used difficult to understand. The bureau said in some cases important information related to pricing or cancellation rights is buried or simply missing.The intervention is the result of the annual International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN) internet sweep, which this year focused on terms and conditions in the digital economy.
Torstar Corporation has announced that through one of its subsidiaries, it has signed an agreement to purchase the assets of iPolitics Inc., the Ottawa-based online political news outlet. Following closure of the deal, which is expected on or around Oct. 1, Torstar daily newspapers and websites across the country will begin publishing articles from iPolitics. Launched in 2010 by founder and editor James Baxter, iPolitics serves its subscribers through a network of digital and social media sites, providing daily political news and industry briefs, a quarterly magazine, policy-oriented podcasts and parliamentary monitoring services. The Toronto Star and iPolitics will retain separate news bureaus in Ottawa, headed respectively by a separate bureau chief and a separate editor. Read the full story here.
Google’s recently-named Chief Privacy Officer has posted a proposed framework for data protection legislation as the U.S. Congress prepares to write legislation governing how digital companies can collect, use and monetize user data. Keith Enright formerly led Google’s privacy legal team for the past decade, before taking up his new post in May. Google has shared its view on the requirements, scope, and enforcement expectations the company believes should be reflected in all responsible data protection laws. Among its baseline recommendations is that countries adopt a globally-integrated framework of privacy regulations to avoid small business running afoul of foreign regulators. Read more here.
Google has signed a deal with the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance to provide in-car infotainment systems that will run on the Android operating system. The Google-powered media display, which will integrate Google Maps and the company’s apps, will be in cars starting in 2021. Google will have access to data generated through the car units, but can only collect it with customer permission.
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