Regulating Digital is the first in-depth examination of how Canada governs digital technologies and data across its most consequential policy areas. Edited by Nicole Goodman and Helen Alexandra Hayes, the volume brings together scholars from political science, public policy, law, communication studies, Indigenous studies, and computer science. Contributors investigate the promises and perils of rapid technological development and adoption across sectors, the difficulties in governing digital technologies, and the implications that follow from the regulatory choices Canada makes on its digital policy file now and into the future. Organized into three thematic sections – elections and democracy, government, and the digital and data economy – the book explores topics ranging from election technology and political parties' use of voter data, to AI, digital surveillance, Indigenous data sovereignty, the internet of things, intellectual property, platform competition, and online hate. Each chapter defines an emerging problem in its Canadian context, evaluates the current regulatory landscape, and considers possible solutions and their democratic implications. Drawing on a broad conception of regulation – one that spans laws, standards, guidelines, and co- and self-regulatory models – the contributors propose more holistic, systems-oriented, and inclusive governance frameworks for Canadian digital policy. Together, the chapters demonstrate that digital policy is a distinct yet cross-cutting domain that demands strategic recalibration if Canada is to become a regulatory leader in the digital age.
