r/SaveTheCBC

As reported by CBC News, a bipartisan group of 29 U.S. states is suing Meta, accusing the company of deliberately designing Facebook and Instagram to keep young people hooked while misleading the public about their safety.

The allegations are striking. California's deputy attorney general told jurors that Meta's model was to keep users on its platforms for as long as possible and harvest their data, arguing that this strategy worked particularly well with children.

The states say internal communications described Instagram as a “drug,” employees as “pushers,” and “teen time spent” as a goal. Former Meta safety engineer Arturo Bejar testified that safety was not adequately considered when products such as Reels were initially rolled out.

Meta strongly denies that its products are addictive and argues the research does not establish a clear causal link between adolescent social media use and poorer well-being.

But this case isn't only about damages. If Meta is found liable, the judge could order fundamental changes to Facebook and Instagram. The states are seeking measures including removing likes and infinite scroll for younger users, introducing time limits and more effectively keeping children under 13 off the platforms.

That could have consequences far beyond the United States.

For parents, teachers and anyone who has watched children grow up alongside smartphones, this is a conversation worth having. How much responsibility belongs to parents, and how much belongs to corporations that employ teams of experts to understand exactly what keeps people scrolling?

Should features such as infinite scroll and algorithmic recommendations be regulated differently for children?

And if evidence ultimately shows companies understood the risks to young people but prioritized engagement and profit anyway, what should meaningful accountability look like?

CBC's continuing coverage of cases like this matters because the decisions being made about these enormous technology platforms affect Canadians too. Public-interest journalism has an important role in getting beyond the tech-company talking points and showing us what emerges in court, including the internal documents and testimony that the public otherwise might never see.

This trial is expected to last about six weeks, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram chief Adam Mosseri could both testify. We'll be watching what CBC's reporting uncovers as it unfolds.

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For a generation of Canadians, her voice is instantly recognizable. Alongside Terry Jacks in The Poppy Family, she gave us enduring Canadian hits including Which Way You Goin’ Billy? and the wonderfully haunting Where Evil Grows before building a successful solo career of her own.

Her work earned her three Juno nominations and helped define a remarkable period in Canadian popular music. Jacks passed in 2022 at the age of 73, but those recordings remain part of our musical memory.

And this is where CBC has always mattered to Canadian music. Long before streaming services and global algorithms decided what we heard, CBC Radio and television gave Canadian musicians a national stage and helped connect artists from Saskatoon, Vancouver and communities across the country with Canadian audiences.

Preserving a public broadcaster means preserving a place where our musical history can be remembered, archived and introduced to another generation, while today's Canadian artists get their own chance to be heard.

Do you remember Susan Jacks and The Poppy Family? What song takes you back?

Born August 19, 1969, Perry was born in Massachusetts but raised in Ottawa, where he spent much of his childhood and became an accomplished junior tennis player before eventually pursuing acting.

To millions of people, he will always be Chandler Bing on Friends, a role that made his razor-sharp timing and wonderfully awkward humour recognizable around the world. But his life became about something much bigger than making people laugh.

Perry spoke candidly about his struggles with addiction and recovery, eventually saying that he hoped helping other people would be remembered ahead of Friends. He turned his own experiences into advocacy and support for others, including transforming his former Malibu home into a sober-living facility.

He passed in 2023 at just 54.

There was always a Canadian connection to Matthew Perry, and CBC covered both the enormous cultural impact of his career and the more complicated, deeply human story behind it. Public broadcasting helps preserve these stories as part of our shared cultural memory, including Canadians whose lives and careers reached far beyond our borders.

On what would have been his 57th birthday, we're remembering the laughter, but also the person who wanted his struggles to mean something for somebody else.

What is your favourite Matthew Perry or Chandler Bing moment?

#MatthewPerry #Friends #ChandlerBing #CanadianCulture #SaveTheCBC

CBC is looking at Anthropic, the company behind the AI chatbot Claude, and its extraordinary effort to acquire millions of physical books and turn them into training data.

The internal project had a name: “Project Panama.”

Court documents revealed that Anthropic bought millions of books, removed their bindings, cut the pages down to size, scanned them and discarded the physical copies after creating digital versions. An internal document described the goal as an effort to “destructively scan all the books in the world.”

And yes, there is an important legal wrinkle.

A U.S. federal judge ruled in 2025 that Anthropic's use of legally purchased books for AI training was fair use. But the same case drew a distinction between those purchased books and millions of books Anthropic had previously obtained from pirated digital libraries. Anthropic ultimately agreed to a $1.5-billion settlement concerning the pirated works, without admitting wrongdoing.

So this isn't simply a story about an AI company “stealing books.” The reality CBC is exploring is considerably weirder.

A company legally buys a physical book, destroys it to digitize it, keeps the resulting information to help train an AI system, and the courts are now grappling with how copyright laws written for a very different technological world apply.

There are cultural questions here too. Anthropic says its programs do not buy and destroy rare or antiquarian books. But the scale of AI companies' appetite for human-written material has raised concerns among booksellers, authors and researchers about what happens when enormous quantities of physical literature become raw material for machine learning.

CBC's coverage is valuable precisely because this story needs more than an alarming headline. The distinction between legally purchased books, pirated copies, copyright law and the ethics of destroying physical books matters.

So we're curious where people land on this one.

If a company legally buys a book, should it have the right to cut it apart and scan it for AI training?

Does it make a difference if the book is common and replaceable rather than rare or out of print?

Should authors receive compensation when their writing becomes training material for commercial AI?

And perhaps the biggest question: are our copyright and cultural-preservation laws remotely prepared for what AI companies can now do at this scale?

There is something profoundly strange about building the technology of the future by literally cutting apart the books of the past.

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Today, one of the brightest stars in Canadian sport officially leaves her teenage years behind.

Summer McIntosh turns 20 today, and somehow she enters her twenties already an Olympic champion, world champion and world-record holder who has rewritten Canadian swimming history.

And what makes her career so exciting is the feeling that we’re still watching the beginning of it.

Even when a race doesn't go exactly the way she hoped, Summer's drive to learn, improve and come back stronger is remarkable. We saw that again at the Pan Pacific Championships, where she finished her teenage years with four more medals for Canada, including gold in the 400m individual medley.

CBC Sports has allowed Canadians to follow so much of Summer's extraordinary rise, from those early breakthrough swims to Olympic podiums and world records. That's part of what public sports coverage can do: give Canadians a front-row seat as our athletes make history.

Happy 20th birthday, Summer! Here's to the next chapter.

What has been your favourite Summer McIntosh moment so far?

#SummerMcIntosh #TeamCanada #CanadianSwimming #CBCSports #SaveTheCBC

Her reason for doing it might be even more important than the cheque.

“I had to do it because I don't know what the point is of being a successful author in Nova Scotia if you're not going to use it for good.”

The Heated Rivalry author told CBC News that she grew up constantly borrowing books from her local library in Bedford and credits libraries with helping inspire her to become an author in the first place.

“I don't think I'd be an author without my local library.”

Her donation comes after five Annapolis Valley Regional Library branches in Hantsport, Kentville, Lawrencetown, Port Williams and Middleton were facing permanent closure because of a funding shortfall.

Reid has also been very clear that her generosity is not a substitute for government responsibility.

“Private donations can't replace government policy which is where this funding should be coming from.”

That distinction matters.

Libraries aren't luxuries. They provide internet access, literacy programs, children's programming, community space, information and resources to people who may have nowhere else to access them. In rural communities especially, losing a library can mean losing one of the few genuinely public spaces left.

There’s a natural connection here to why we advocate for strong public broadcasting. Libraries and CBC/Radio-Canada are very different institutions, but both are built around an idea worth protecting: access to information, culture and Canadian stories should not be determined solely by profitability or someone's ability to pay.

And there is something wonderfully full-circle about an author whose imagination was nurtured by a public library using her success to help keep libraries open for the next generation.

Rachel Reid deserves tremendous credit. Now governments need to do their part.

What would losing your local library mean to your community? And should access to libraries be treated as an essential public service with stable funding across Canada?

#RachelReid #HeatedRivalry #PublicLibraries #NovaScotia #CanadianAuthors #SaveTheCBC

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Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump are expected to speak Tuesday night, just hours before Trump's threatened 50 per cent tariffs on roughly $30 billion in Canadian goods are scheduled to kick in.

Canadian political cartoonist Michael de Adder captures the moment perfectly here: Trump sitting inside a ticking time bomb of his own making while the trade deadline counts down.

Canada wants the new tariffs scrapped and relief from existing tariffs on steel, aluminum, autos and lumber. The U.S. wants concessions, including:

U.S. alcohol returned to provincial shelves

Canada's retaliatory auto tariffs removed

Changes to Canadian dairy import quotas

The latest U.S. offer on Canadian-made vehicles would reportedly lower the headline tariff from 25 to 15 per cent, with the effective rate potentially falling to 7.5 per cent depending on U.S. content. Canada wants a better deal.

But here's tonight's great unanswered question: will the tariff time bomb actually go off?

Or will Trump TACO?

“Trump Always Chickens Out” has become shorthand for his habit of making enormous tariff threats, setting deadlines and then delaying or softening them when the economic consequences start getting real.

Maybe midnight brings a deal. Maybe Trump follows through. Or maybe the clock gets reset and negotiations drag on.

CBC News has been following these negotiations closely, including what each side is demanding and what Canadian industries could be asked to give up. That's important information to have before anyone declares whatever happens tonight a victory or a defeat.

So place your bets: tariffs, deal, or TACO?

And more importantly, what concessions should Canada actually be willing to make? Would you put American booze back on the shelves? Drop our retaliatory auto tariffs? Give some ground on dairy? Or should Canada make no further concessions at all?

Cartoon by Canadian political cartoonist Michael de Adder.

Demand for Canadian citizenship certificates is soaring, and applications from Americans are helping drive the surge.

CBC News reports the backlog has now reached roughly 121,800 applications, up from about 56,000 in April. Estimated processing times have jumped too, from 12 months in May to 25 months as of Aug. 10.

The increase follows the adoption of Bill C-3, the “Lost Canadians” legislation that expanded citizenship by descent. People who can establish a qualifying line of Canadian ancestry may now be recognized as citizens even when that connection goes back beyond a Canadian-born parent.

Between mid-December and the end of May, 6,100 citizenship certificates were granted to people newly eligible under Bill C-3. Another 17,390 were issued to people with a Canadian parent.

And Americans make up a significant share.

CBC reports that 3,110 U.S.-born applicants received certificates through the new Bill C-3 provisions, while another 8,125 Americans received them because they had a Canadian parent.

The surge is having an unexpected consequence: Canadian archivists are getting swamped.

Some archives report genealogical requests increasing by 100 to 300 per cent as applicants hunt down birth records, church documents, ship manifests and other evidence, sometimes dating back hundreds of years. The Association of Canadian Archivists is now calling for additional funding to handle the workload.

There’s a certain irony in watching thousands of Americans look north for Canadian citizenship while Canada is simultaneously navigating one of its most difficult periods of relations with the United States in generations.

But beyond the politics, there are some fascinating questions here about what Canadian citizenship means.

What do you make of the sudden surge in Americans seeking Canadian citizenship? If someone has Canadian ancestry stretching back several generations but has never lived here, should citizenship still be their birthright? And what does it say about Canada that so many people are suddenly digging through their family histories hoping to find a connection to it?

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Canada’s women’s flag football team has officially punched its ticket to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, where flag football will make its Olympic debut.

And they earned it in style.

Canada defeated world No. 1 Mexico 20-6 in the semifinals of the IFAF Flag Football World Championships in Düsseldorf, Germany, securing both a place in the world championship final and an Olympic berth.

Sara Parker threw for 107 yards, Silvia Contreras scored a touchdown, Caroline Moquin-Joubert added two, and Catherine Gaumont came up huge defensively with two interceptions.

Now Canada gets another shot at the United States for the world championship title. And don't forget, these Canadian women already showed what they're capable of by edging the U.S. 34-33 earlier this summer.

What an incredible moment for a sport that is growing rapidly in Canada, and for the women helping lead that growth.

CBC Sports continues to bring Canadians the stories of athletes and teams well beyond the biggest professional leagues, including emerging Olympic sports that might otherwise receive little national coverage. That's an important part of what a national public broadcaster can do for Canadian sport.

Congratulations, Team Canada! Next stop: LA 2028.

Have you been following Canada's flag football teams? And are you excited to see flag football make its Olympic debut?

CBC Saskatchewan found Canadian rib steaks selling at $70.52/kg at a Loblaws store, nearly twice the price of Australian rib steaks.

So how does that happen?

The Canadian Cattle Association points to several factors. Australia has a different, largely grass-based production system, its beef production has increased while North American cattle supplies have tightened, and retailers can use cheaper imported meat as a “loss leader” to attract shoppers.

Trade policy plays a role too. Since 2018, the CPTPP trade agreement has given Australian beef greater access to Canada, while also giving Canadian producers better access to markets including Japan and Vietnam.

Canadian cattle producers aren't necessarily sounding the alarm. Association president Tyler Fulton says imports can fill temporary gaps in domestic supply, while Canadian beef generally commands a premium because of characteristics such as marbling.

But consumers are confronting a much simpler reality: price.

One Saskatchewan shopper told CBC that beef has become such a luxury that, aside from ground beef, she hasn't eaten it since 2024. Another said he'd rather buy Canadian and local, but acknowledged that affordability increasingly dictates people's choices.

That tension is worth talking about. Supporting Canadian farmers sounds straightforward until families standing in a grocery aisle are being asked to pay substantially more to do it.

It's also the kind of everyday economic story public broadcasting is particularly good at telling. CBC Saskatchewan didn't just report that food is expensive. It went into the grocery stores, compared prices, talked to producers and shoppers, and asked why Canadians are seeing something seemingly counterintuitive on the shelf.

If Australian beef can travel thousands of kilometres and still substantially undercut Canadian beef, what does that tell us about our domestic food system?

Should Canadian-produced food be more affordable for Canadians? How much extra are you willing or able to pay to buy Canadian? And have high grocery prices changed what your family eats?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/australian-beef-canadian-import-export-costs-9.7307835

CBC News has broken down where negotiations stand sector by sector, and it shows just how much is currently on the table:

AUTOS: The U.S. is reportedly offering to reduce its existing 25% auto tariff to 12.5%. Canadian negotiators don't believe that's good enough, while Unifor warns against concessions that could effectively normalize permanent tariffs on the integrated North American auto industry.

DAIRY: Washington wants greater access to Canada's dairy market and is targeting supply management. Canada is expected to make some concession here, although exactly what has been offered isn't public. Quebec says protecting supply management is a red line.

ALCOHOL: The U.S. wants provincial bans on American alcohol lifted. Ottawa has asked provinces to be prepared to put U.S. products back on shelves if a comprehensive agreement is reached. Ontario and Quebec say they want meaningful tariff relief first.

STEEL & ALUMINUM: Canadian steel and aluminum continue to face punishing U.S. tariffs, including rates as high as 50%. Canada is pushing for reductions while Ottawa introduces measures to help affected industries survive the disruption.

SOFTWOOD LUMBER: Canadian softwood lumber faces a total U.S. tariff rate of roughly 45%. B.C. wants lumber included in a broader agreement, while Washington reportedly insists it should be negotiated separately.

CRITICAL MINERALS, ENERGY & SECURITY: The U.S. is seeking preferential access to Canadian critical minerals and wants an agreement encompassing energy and security. Canada's review of its F-35 fighter jet purchase is also reportedly part of the broader negotiations.

That's a remarkable amount of Canada's economy, resources and industrial policy wrapped into one negotiation.

And this is exactly why detailed public-interest Canadian journalism is so essential. Trade negotiations can easily become a fog of political slogans and competing claims. CBC's reporting gives Canadians a clearer picture of what Washington wants, what Canada is trying to protect and what we could ultimately be asked to give up.

Preventing another round of tariffs matters. But signing a deal simply to make Wednesday's deadline disappear isn't necessarily an actual victory if Canada ends up accepting concessions that could remain long after this trade war is over.

So where exactly do you think that Canada ought to draw the line?

Would you make concessions on dairy or American alcohol to protect Canadian manufacturing jobs? Should preferential access to our critical minerals even be on the table? Should Canada refuse a deal that doesn't address steel, aluminum and lumber? And if Washington won't offer a genuinely fair agreement, is no deal better than us making a bad one?

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For nearly four decades, James has been one of the unmistakable sounds of Canadian music, building a remarkable career that includes seven gold records, four platinum albums, two double-platinum albums and eight Juno Awards.

And his story is also a reminder of what CBC Music and public radio have long contributed to Canada's musical ecosystem. Canadian artists need places where their music can be heard, their careers documented and their work celebrated alongside the biggest international names.

From blues and roots to rock, folk, jazz and everything wonderfully difficult to squeeze into a commercial radio format, CBC helps keep Canadian music in Canadian ears.

Happy birthday, Colin! Here's to many more years of making some noise.

What's your favourite Colin James song, album or memory? And who is another great Canadian musician you first discovered through CBC?

Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec are signing a new Churchill Falls agreement today, backed by $10 billion in federal financing for a collection of electricity projects Ottawa says will amount to nearly $70 billion in investment.

Prime Minister Mark Carney joined Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham and Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette in St. John’s for the announcement.

The plans include major upgrades to Churchill Falls, development of the Gull Island hydroelectric project, new transmission infrastructure and a proposed 2,000 MW wind project in Labrador. Ottawa says the projects could nearly triple the current generating capacity of Churchill Falls and support 23,000 jobs.

For Newfoundland and Labrador, the economics also change considerably. N.L. Hydro estimates the new agreement increases the province's value from the $36 billion projected under the 2024 memorandum of understanding to $49 billion in net present value.

N.L. would receive substantially more electricity for its own use or sale, while the price Hydro-Québec pays for Churchill Falls power is set to rise from the current 0.2 cents per kilowatt hour to 1.8 cents next year, increasing annually until it reaches 11.5 cents in 2041.

There are important details still to come. Some elements, including a potential Churchill Falls expansion and wind development, are described in the agreement as projects to be studied rather than finalized construction commitments.

The original 1969 Churchill Falls agreement has been a source of resentment in Newfoundland and Labrador for generations, criticized for delivering enormously disproportionate benefits to Quebec. That history makes today's announcement about much more than electricity.

CBC News is on the ground in St. John’s covering what could become one of the most consequential interprovincial energy agreements in modern Canadian history.

Does this finally represent a fairer deal for Newfoundland and Labrador? Should Canada be making investments of this scale in east-west clean-energy infrastructure? And could projects like this help Canada become less economically dependent on the United States?

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Around 200 people have already joined the class action. Other survivors now have 90 days to submit a claim detailing the alleged abuse and its impact on their lives.

Two of the representative plaintiffs, Gaétan Bégin and Pierre Bolduc, say they were sexually assaulted by parish priests when they were just 14 and 12 years old.

Bégin, now 86, spoke about something that can be overlooked when discussing abuse that happened decades ago: time does not necessarily contain the damage. He told CBC that the boy whose life was robbed remains with him every day, along with the impact the trauma had on his family.

The settlement will establish a $31.5-million compensation fund, with individual awards assessed by two retired judges. The Archdiocese has also agreed to provide survivors with written apologies.

No settlement can return a stolen childhood or erase decades of trauma. But accountability matters, including when institutions are finally forced to confront harms that survivors have carried for much of their lives.

CBC News has continued reporting on these cases and giving survivors space to tell their stories, including allegations involving some of the most powerful figures within the church.

What does meaningful accountability look like when justice comes more than half a century after the harm was done? How do institutions earn back trust after generations of survivors were left to carry these experiences largely on their own? And what needs to change now to ensure children today are better protected?

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