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sonnylax
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Joined: 30 Sep 2003
Posts: 2942
Location: Living in a lollipop and unicorn world
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 Posted: 01/23/06 - 20:50 Post subject: No election blogging tomorrow in Canada
What's going on up there, north of the border? What is the point of this stupid law?
http://www.cbc.ca/canadavotes/analysiscommentary/blogreport.html#jan20
| Quote: | Prohibited blogging
Blogging on election day is going to be a tricky thing. In this election, unlike the last one, Section 329 of the Canada Elections Act will be in effect, meaning it will be effectively against the law to blog about election results until 10:00 ET, since blogging is considered transmitting "to the public."
Writing e-mail or instant messaging or for that matter talking on the phone about election results is fine, since those aren't public transmissions.
But what if you're blogging election results on your LiveJournal and protecting the posts so that only your LJ friends can read it? How big does your friends list have to be before it's considered transmitting to the public?
Antonia Zerbisias discusses the implications of S. 329 on bloggers: "So let's say that, on Monday night, the Conservatives start sweeping through the Maritime provinces or Newfoundland. Will the Blogging Tories be able to contain their glee and stick to the law before the polls close in B.C.?"
"You have to wonder how Elections Canada is going to be able to monitor this," she writes.
On Small Dead Animals, Kate invites bloggers who plan to write about results to contact her, and various bloggers are discussing the law in the comments for that post.
Some commenters predict that a certain American blog that has taken interest in Canadian issues before may be willing to post election results. The Act doesn't apply to websites, or broadcasters, outside of Canada.
Election Results Canada, the website that contravened the Act in 2000, has a timeline of Paul Bryan's fight against the law, all the way to the Supreme Court.
[UPDATE: I've removed a reference and link to a certain American blog that might post election results.] |
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karlene
Canadian Bacon
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Joined: 17 Oct 2005
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Posted: 01/23/06 - 21:20 Post subject:
SO if i pm'd you and told YOU what the results were in Atlantic Canada and YOU posted them. that'd be ok??
This is ridiculous!
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gretriever
Hipster Doofus
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Joined: 16 Jul 2003
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Location: A moving target in a firing range.
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Posted: 01/24/06 - 14:13 Post subject:
They were prolly responding to a phony e-mail from Elections Canada, telling people that the voting was over two days, not just one. They prolly made some sort of trace to a blog.
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blue
your favorite weapon
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Joined: 21 May 2002
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Location: armed and ambitious
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Posted: 01/24/06 - 14:29 Post subject:
you are not allowed to disclose polling information to anyone at anytime in any manner before the polls are closed.
it's 100% illegal.
if i phoned karlene to tell her that the libs were leading the ballot count in my riding before it was closed - i'd be in huge trouble if they found out.
..that's my understanding anyway.
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MastrBrewr
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
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Joined: 24 Sep 2003
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Posted: 01/24/06 - 15:22 Post subject:
Probably trying to prevent what has infamously happened here in the States lately with the media (including bloggers) calling the wrong results.
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blue
your favorite weapon
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Joined: 21 May 2002
Posts: 7010
Location: armed and ambitious
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Posted: 01/24/06 - 17:11 Post subject:
| MastrBrewr wrote: | | Probably trying to prevent what has infamously happened here in the States lately with the media (including bloggers) calling the wrong results. |
i think the idea is that - if *i* know what the polls are reporting in New Brunswick, i might change my vote when i hit the polls in Manitoba, and likewise the people in BC. i might do this to block if i realize my party can't win etc...
if no one knows anything extra - then everyone goes to the polls with the same information. it's not so much about "fairness" as it is about integrity (maybe the people in NB might've voted differently if BC closed first y'know?)...
...just one of the theorys i heard. makes a bit of sense to me.
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sonnylax
Member
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Joined: 30 Sep 2003
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Location: Living in a lollipop and unicorn world
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Posted: 01/24/06 - 17:51 Post subject:
I understand that it would be unethical for government officials to disclose results prior to the polling places closing across the entire country. However, this stupid law doesn't allow private citizens or companies to discuss the election. Restricting someone's rights as a private Canadian citizen to discuss polling information is beyond silly.
Sounds to me like you guys need to re-think that whole freedom of the press thing. It's a horribly written law.
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blue
your favorite weapon
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Joined: 21 May 2002
Posts: 7010
Location: armed and ambitious
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Posted: 01/25/06 - 18:09 Post subject:
| sonnylax wrote: | I understand that it would be unethical for government officials to disclose results prior to the polling places closing across the entire country. However, this stupid law doesn't allow private citizens or companies to discuss the election. Restricting someone's rights as a private Canadian citizen to discuss polling information is beyond silly.
Sounds to me like you guys need to re-think that whole freedom of the press thing. It's a horribly written law. |
well if private citizens should be able to talk about it - why couldn't anyone else?
it's not a bad rule. besides - we can wait 24 hrs  .
we're allowed to talk as much trash as we want - we're just not allowed to talk about the actual vote count, etc. i can still stand on the corner and yell "don't vote for so & so, he'll ruin your life!".
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