Yesterday we reported on former Spotify chief economist Will Page’s criticism of a proposed Canadian law that would force streaming platforms to feature more Canadian content. “C-11 is a blunt instrument that threatens to derail the significant progress that technological innovation has brought to Canadian culture,” was Page’s response, and now YouTube’s head of music, Lyor Cohen, has voiced his disapproval. Speaking to Complex at Canada’s Juno Awards, Cohen said that there would be “unintended consequences” of the bill, which he believes is trying to use legal tools designed for “push” media like radio to on-demand services like YouTube. “If you are pushing stuff that’s not on demand, it breaks the user experience, and I think it would really harm creativity. It will harm young artists and emerging artists. I think it will clip the wings of creativity for that matter and it will clip the wings of emerging artists.” Response to the legislation is divided: collecting society SOCAN, for instance, is in support of it.
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