Outlaw Oceans Project Databases

I came across this recently: the Outlaw Oceans Project, a Washington-based journalism non-profit that publishes stories about human rights, labour and environmental issues on the high seas:

"More than 50 million people work offshore. Roughly 80 percent of the goods we consume reach us by way of the sea. Half the air we breathe comes from the oceans. And yet, this realm is home to a variety of urgent concerns that go largely overlooked by most news outlets because it is too costly, too dangerous and too time consuming to report on them. These concerns include the murder of stowaways, arms trafficking, illegal fishing, pollution, dumping, drilling and human slavery on fishing ships. The organization was founded and is directed by Ian Urbina, who produced an award-winning series in 2015 in The New York Times and a subsequent best-selling book in 2019."

"The Outlaw Ocean Project’s journalism is distinct not just in its focus, but also in how the reporting is conducted and distributed. Most of the stories are reported at least partially at sea. In the United States, the non-profit publishes its stories in various news outlets, including the New Yorker, NBC News, The Atlantic and The Washington Post. The reporting is also translated into a half dozen languages and further disseminated abroad in partnership with dozens of foreign newspapers, magazines, radio and television venues."

The Project offers a toolkit of 3 databases:

• Global Fishing Legislative Database: a 68-country database with laws and regulations on fishing, labour rules, vessel ownership and registration, etc.
• Oceans Actions Index: a compilation of input from advocates and researchers who were asked what can be done to better protect the oceans and its workers
• Oceans Investigations Guide: tips for the investigation of ocean-related crimes

Statistics Canada Findings on Confidence in the police, the justice system and courts

A few weeks ago, Statistics Canada reported on the level of confidence of different population groups in the Federal Parliament, the justice system and courts, the police, and the Canadian media:

"Having a high level of confidence in the Federal Parliament, the justice system and courts, the police, and the Canadian media can be seen as a vital measure for assessing the health of democracy in Canada. Confidence in these institutions reflects the sense that they are safe, effective, transparent and accountable."

"From October 2022 to January 2023, about two-thirds (67%) of Canadians reported having a high level of confidence in the police. This was a greater proportion than other institutions, such as the justice system and courts (51%), the Federal Parliament (36%) and the Canadian media (33%)."

"In the context of increased diversity and immigration being the main driver of population growth in Canada, it is relevant to investigate if different groups of the population share these views similarly."

"Using preliminary data from the Survey Series on People and their Communities, this report examines whether racialized and non-racialized, non-Indigenous people in Canada have differing levels of confidence in public institutions ..."

Among the findings:

• Most racialized groups report higher levels of confidence in the justice system and courts than non-racialized, non-Indigenous people
• Southeast Asian, Black and Japanese people are less likely to report confidence in police
• Recent immigrants are most likely to report high level of confidence in the Canadian media and the Federal Parliament

American Library Association - Government information in the News in 2022

The Government Documents Roundtable or GODORT is part of the American Library Association. 

GODORT describes itself as "a dynamic forum where information professionals learn, discuss, advocate, and create scholarship on and about government information at all levels of government (local, state, national, international)."

It just compiled a list of Government publications in the news during 2022. It is fascinating list of US official documents that were quoted in the media.

It would be interesting to find out if any Canadian organization has done the same thing here.

Library of Parliament Legislative Summary of Bill C-18: Online News Act

The Library of Parliament has published its legislative summary of Bill C-18, the Act respecting online communications platforms that make news content available to persons in Canada (short title: Online News Act).

"The purpose of Bill C‑18 is to rebalance the power dynamics in the digital news marketplace in order to ensure fair compensation for Canadian media outlets and journalists. It creates a new legislative and regulatory framework to enable digital news intermediaries to negotiate agreements with Canadian media to authorize them to disseminate Canadian media content on their platforms. The bill sets up a process that enables smaller media outlets to bargain collectively."

"The bill also expands the mandate and powers of the Canadian Radio‑television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). It gives the CRTC responsibility for developing the code of conduct governing bargaining between digital news intermediaries and news businesses. It also mandates the CRTC to determine whether agreements made outside the bargaining process meet the conditions for exemption."

"According to the Charter Statement on Bill C‑18 prepared by the Minister of Justice, Bill C‑18 is consistent with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. To arrive at this conclusion, the Minister assessed the bill’s potential impacts on freedom of expression (section 2(b)), searches or seizures (section 8) and fair trial rights (section 11)."

It is possible to follow the progress of the bill through both Houses of the federal Parliament on the LEGISinfo website. 

Government of Victoria Report on How Media Coverage Should Affect Sentencing

The Sentencing Advisory Council of the Government of Victoria in Australia has released a report entitled Should Media Coverage Affect Sentencing?

The report reviews 20 years of Australian case law dealing with high-profile media coverage of certain cases.

From the media release:

"When sentencing a person for committing a crime, Australian courts sometimes consider whether the person has already been punished outside the criminal justice system. Often referred to as ‘extra-curial punishment’, it can, for example, include job loss, family hardship, physical injury and visa cancellation. If this has occurred, the offender may receive a reduced sentence."

"One form of extra-curial punishment that has received relatively little attention is media coverage about a person’s case, especially high-profile media coverage. The question is: Should media coverage about a case entitle the offender to a reduced sentence? And if so, why and how much?"

"These were questions considered but not answered in 2001, when the High Court was divided as to whether media coverage should be able to reduce a person’s sentence. More than two decades later, the issue remains unresolved."

"It is in that context that the Council sought to better understand how courts have been navigating this complex area. We found that when Australian courts are asked to take media coverage into account in sentencing, they face uncertainty as to the basis for doing so and how much weight to give it. The report does not try to resolve these uncertainties. Instead, it reviews judicial and other commentary with the aim of encouraging further discussion by judicial officers, lawyers, journalists and the general public."

The state of Victoria is in south-eastern Australia and its capital is Melbourne. 

New South Wales Law Reform Commission Paper on Publication Bans

The New South Wales Law Reform Commission in Australia has issued a Consultation Paper on Open justice: Court and tribunal information: access, disclosure and publication.

It is part of a consultation process into whether current arrangements for court-ordered publication bans strike the right balance between the proper administration of justice, the open courts principle, the rights of victims and witnesses (for example, children involved in court proceedings and complainants in sexual offence proceedings), privacy, confidentiality, public safety, the right to a fair trial, national security, commercial/business interests, and the public interest in open justice.

It will also look into whether such bans can remain effective in the digital environment.

The document examines the situation in New South Wales, other Australian states, New Zealand as well as England and Wales.

The full terms of reference for the project are on the Commission's website.

How Libraries Are Helping to Spot Fake News

There are two very important stories today in my news feed about how to spot fake news.

One is on the site LLRX.com (reprinted from the July/August 2017 issue of AALL Spectrum): Spotting Fake – Best Practices for Authenticating Trustworthy News Sources. It has links to library guides and other resources:

"In a keynote speech by Librarian of Congress, Carla D. Hayden, she said, 'In this time of wondering who can we trust, we are the most trusted source you can get …That very trustworthiness is our strength. That’s what we should revel in and be confident in'."

"This may be why librarians are enthusiastically creating fake news detection resources and why those resources are multiplying on websites. According to an article in American Libraries magazine (published by the American Library Association) 'Librarians can play a vital role in helping everyone, of any age, become critical and reflective news consumers. One positive outcome of the current furor about fake news may be that information literacy—for media and other types of content—will finally be recognized as a central skill of the digital age'."

"Fact-checking skills alone may not be enough to stop the spread, but librarians do have a lot to offer. Our weapon of choice for teaching others how to spot fake news is library research guides. These guides are multiplying across the country (...) Each guide provides solid advice on detecting fake news."

And IFLA, the International Federation of Library Associations, has published a report on Real Solutions to Fake News: How Libraries Help.

New International Media Law Database

The International Press Institute (IPI), a Vienna-based global network of editors, media executives and journalists, has launched a database that catalogues legal provisions affecting freedom of the press and expression in European countries and some Caribbean nations as part of its initial rollout:

"IPI Director of Press Freedom Programmes Scott Griffen said the database aimed in part to expose the failure of states, including a majority in Europe, to incorporate international standards on freedom of expression in law."

" 'The past years and decades have seen the development, on the part of international human rights bodies and courts, of clear and important standards when it comes to respecting freedom of expression. But our research shows that governments, including in Europe, which is generally considered to be a safe haven for free expression, have largely failed to adopt these standards in legislation,' Griffen said."

"He continued: 'In practice, this means that laws that disproportionately restrict freedom of expression, such as criminal defamation laws, not only still exist, but are also still applied against journalists and others. In the case of Europe, it also makes pushing for change in countries elsewhere more challenging. This database, in offering a clear and consolidated source on legislation in effect on a country-by-country basis, seeks to raise awareness about the gap between international standards and the reality on the ground and thereby energise the advocacy needed to close that gap'."

The IPI will eventually expand the geographic and thematic coverage of the database. Right now, the database includes information about national laws dealing with topics ranging from blasphemy to insults to the head of state and defamation of the deceased.

[Source: Library Journal's INFOdocket]

New Zealand Law Commission Report on Media Reporting of Suicide

The Law Commission of New Zealand has released a report entitled Suicide Reporting that recommends revisions to that country's Coroners Act 2006:

"The Report recommends that sections 71 to 73 of the Coroners Act 2006 that restrict the reporting of suicide be repealed and replaced by new provisions. Those provisions should only prohibit the reporting of the method of suicide and the fact that a death is a suicide. A person should be able to apply to the Chief Coroner for an exemption from those prohibitions. It also recommends that the Coroners Act requires the Minister of Health to prepare, in consultation with media and mental health experts, a new set of standards for reporting suicide, and to implement an ongoing programme to disseminate, promote, support and evaluate the implementation of those standards."

The report looked at the situation in other jurisdictions such as Australia and the United Kingdom.

English Law Commission Report on Contempt of Court: Court Reporting

The English Law Commission has released its report on Contempt of Court: Court Reporting.

The Commission's recommendations include:

• Ensuring that court reporting orders banning publication for the duration of proceedings are all posted on a single publicly accessible website (a similar website currently operates in Scotland)
• Including a further restricted service where, for a charge, registered users could find out the detail of the reporting restriction and could sign up for automated email alerts of new orders
• Where there are reporting restrictions in place relating to the names of parties to the proceedings (including those whose purpose is to protect other individuals who might be identified if the names of the parties were known) the online list will identify cases by number, with a suitably anonymised case name, as is currently the practice with public court lists

The report is part of the Commission's Contempt of Court Project that also looked at juror misconduct on the Internet and contempt in the face of the court.

The Commission has provided quite a number of consultation documents, including one on contempt of court in other jurisdictions including Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland.

2013 Stephen Hanson Awards for Excellence in Journalism

The Canadian Bar Association (CBA) has announced the winners of the 2013 Stephen Hanson Awards for Excellence in Journalism.

They "recognize outstanding broadcast and print or web journalism that fosters public awareness and understanding of any aspect of the Canadian justice system and the roles played by institutions and participants in the legal system."

The award in the print category was given to Paul Webster of Vancouver Magazine for his article entitled The War on The War on Drugs that shows that many law enforcement officers are skeptical of current drug laws.

The award in the broadcast category went to CBC reporter Joe Schlesinger and producer Bonnie Brown for their report Truth, Lies and Confessions about false confessions.

The CBA website has a complete list of winners from previous years.

New Zealand Law Commission Report on Regulation of the Media

The New Zealand Law Commission has released a report on the Review of Regulatory Gaps and the New Media.The review was prompted by concern about the disparities in the legal and ethical standards that apply to news as a result of the emergence of new web-based publishers and the convergence of mainstream print and broadcast media online:

"The Report recommends a new complaints body be set up to provide New Zealanders with a consistent set of news media standards and a one-stop-shop for adjudicating complaints across all news producers. Membership of the new body would be voluntary and open to both the traditional mainstream news media and the new media (e.g. news and current affairs bloggers and websites), provided they are willing to be accountable to the new standards body. The new body would draw on and strengthen the best features of the current platform-based complaints bodies (the Press Council, the Broadcasting Standards Authority and the Online Media Standards Authority)."

"The Report recommends two specific statutory amendments once the new complaints body is established:

• an amendment to the Broadcasting Act 1989, to alter the jurisdiction of the Broadcasting Standards Authority;
• amendments to the Privacy Act 1993, the Electoral Act 1993, the Human Rights Act 1993 and the Fair Trading Act 1986 (that confer specific privileges on the news media) to align these statutes with media privileges in the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 - making conferral of the privileges conditional on membership of the new complaints body."

"An appendix to the Report contains the Commission’s Ministerial Briefing to the Hon Judith Collins: Harmful Digital Communications: The Adequacy of the Current Sanctions and Remedies (August 2012), containing recommendations and a proposed Bill. This briefing recommended a range of measures to address the problems caused by seriously harmful personal online or digital attacks, including a new criminal offence and the establishment of a Communications Tribunal."

Nominations for Canadian Bar Association Awards for Excellence in Journalism

Nominations are open until May 1, 2013 for the Stephen Hanson Awards for Excellence in Journalism (formerly the Justicia Awards) that reward "outstanding journalism that fosters public awareness and understanding of any aspect of the Canadian justice system and the roles played by institutions and participants in the legal system".

The Awards are organized by the Canadian Bar Association. There are awards in French or English stories in two categories: print and broadcast media.

The first Justicia Awards were handed out in 2000. The website has a complete list of winners from previous years.

New European Court of Human Rights Factsheet on Protection of Journalistic Sources

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg has published a series of Factsheets that describe important jurisprudence of the institution on a number of subjects.

The ECHR recently published a factsheet on the protection of journalistic sources.

The ECHR hears complaints from individuals living in any of the member states of the Council of Europe about violations of the European Convention of Human Rights. The Council of Europe is one of the continent's oldest political organizations, founded in 1949. It has 47 member countries.

English Law Commission Consultation on Media and Contempt of Court

The English Law Commission has launched a consultation on the balance between the right to publish and the right of a defendant to a fair trial:

"A number of high-profile cases involving contempt of court have recently highlighted the need for a review of this area of the law. These include:

• a juror who was found to have researched the defendant on the internet;
• the first internet contempt by publication, which concerned the posting of an incriminating photograph of a defendant on a website;
• contempt proceedings for the vilification of Chris Jefferies during the investigation into the murder of Joanna Yeates; and
• proceedings for contempt by publication following the collapse of the prosecution of Levi Bellfield."

" 'Contempt of court' covers a wide variety of conduct which undermines or has the potential to undermine the course of justice, and the procedures which are designed to deal with them. This consultation paper focuses on four specific areas of contempt:

1. contempt by publication;
2. the new media;
3. contempts committed by jurors; and
4. contempt in the face of the court."

"The new media pose a number of challenges to the existing laws on contempt of court, which pre-date the internet age. In addition, there are concerns that some aspects of the law or procedure relating to contempt of court may be unclear or incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights."

The Commission has provided quite a number of consultation documents, including one on contempt of court in other jurisdictions including Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland.

New Factsheets from the European Court of Human Rights

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg has published a series of Factsheets that describe important jurisprudence of the institution on a number of subjects.

The ECHR recently added new Factsheets on the right to life, companies and taxation. They include key cases and pending applications before the Court.

The ECHR hears complaints from individuals living in any of the member states of the Council of Europe about violations of the European Convention of Human Rights. The Council of Europe is one of the continent's oldest political organizations, founded in 1949. It has 47 member countries.

New Zealand Law Commission Consultations on News Media in Digital Age

The Law Commission of New Zealand is conducting consultations on the need for changes to the regulatory regime for news media in the digital age.

It is looking at who regulates the media as well as at whether existing criminal and civil remedies for wrongs such as defamation, harassment, breach of confidence and privacy are effective in the new media environment.

In December 2011, the Commission released a discussion paper ("Issues Paper")  and invited submissions. Earlier this week, it released a list of submissions received.

Twelfth Annual Justicia Awards for Excellence in Journalism

The Canadian Bar Association (CBA) and Justice Canada have announced the names of the winners of the twelfth annual Justicia Awards for Excellence in Journalism.

The Awards celebrate outstanding journalism that fosters public awareness and understanding of the Canadian justice system.

Awards are given in two categories, broadcast and print media:

• Broadcast: A team from the BBC, led by Canadian journalist Laura Lynch, is the winner in the broadcast category for a two-part documentary entitled “Power and the Judges.” The December 2010 documentary examined the power that judges hold, whether their independence and impartiality can be ensured and whether they should ever have the authority to overrule laws
• Print: Dominique Forget is the winner in the print category for her May 1, 2011 article “Une justice pour happy few” in L’actualité. The article examined the state of Quebec’s civil justice system, which it described as dominated by the wealthy, businesses and non-governmental organizations. It describes the system as “too expensive, too complicated and too long” and discusses alternatives such as mediation, plain language and participatory justice.

Winners receive a bronze statuette that is based on the Justicia statue that stands outside the Supreme Court building in Ottawa.

Nominations for 12th Annual Justicia Awards

Nominations are open until June 20, 2011 for the 12th Annual Justicia Awards that reward "outstanding broadcast and print or Web journalism that fosters public awareness and understanding of the Canadian justice system".

The Awards are given each year by the Canadian Bar Association (CBA) and the Department of Justice for French or English stories in two categories: print and broadcast media. The 2011 Awards will be presented at the CBA's Canadian Legal Conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia in August.

Last year, a team from the Victoria Times Colonist was the winner in the print category for a series on access to information in the B.C. courts, published in February 2010. A team from Radio-Canada's Enquête was the winner in the broadcast category for a February 2010 show on the practice of paying informants.

The eligibility criteria and a complete list of past winners are included on the CBA Justicia Award website.

Winners receive a bronze statuette that is based on the statue that stands outside the Supreme Court building in Ottawa.

Eleventh Annual Justicia Awards for Excellence in Journalism

Justice Canada has announced the names of the winners of the eleventh annual Justicia Awards for Excellence in Journalism.

The Awards, which are sponsored by the Canadian Bar Association and the Department of Justice Canada, celebrate outstanding journalism that fosters public awareness and understanding of the Canadian justice system.

Awards are given in two categories, broadcast and print media:

• Broadcast: Radio-Canada's Enquête investigative TV show for a February 2010 show "Délateurs en liberté" on the practice of paying informants.
• Print: the Victoria Times Colonist for a series on access to information in the B.C. courts, published in February 2010

Winners receive a bronze statuette that is based on the Justicia statue that stands outside the Supreme Court building in Ottawa.