Author: mdbincbi

Uncovered: 1,000 Phrases That Incorrectly Trigger Alexa, Siri, And Google Assistant | Ars Technica

mdbincbi

As Alexa, Google Home, Siri, and other voice assistants have become fixtures in millions of homes, privacy advocates have grown concerned that their near-constant listening to nearby conversations could pose more risk than benefit to users. New research suggests the privacy threat may be greater than previously thought. The findings demonstrate how common it is for dialog in TV shows and other sources to produce false triggers that cause the devices to turn on, sometimes sending nearby sounds to Amazon, Apple, Google, or other manufacturers. In all, researchers uncovered more…

Read More

Tim Hortons App Under Investigation Over Data Concerns | CTV News

mdbincbi

GATINEAU, QUE. — The Tim Hortons mobile ordering app is being investigated by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and provincial agencies in Quebec, B.C. and Alberta. The joint investigation was prompted by concerns raised in media reports about how the app may be collecting and using data about people’s movements as they go about their daily activities. It will examine whether the fast food restaurant chain owned by Restaurant Brands International Inc. is in compliance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, Canada’s federal private…

Read More

Elon Musk’s Company SpaceX Applies To Offer High-Speed Internet Service To Canadians | CBC News

mdbincbi

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has applied to offer high-speed internet to Canadians living in remote areas by beaming it to them via satellites. The Globe and Mail newspaper first reported that space exploration company SpaceX applied with Canada’s telecom regulator, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), for what’s known as a Basic International Telecommunications Services, or BITS, licence. That’s a requirement for any company that wants to offer what the CRTC calls “telecommunications traffic between Canada and any other country.” Read full story here: Elon Musk’s Company SpaceX Applies To…

Read More

Thousands Of Tourists, Shoppers Still Trying To Enter Canada Despite COVID-19 Travel Ban | CTV News

mdbincbi

VICTORIA — Canadian border agents have turned away more than 7,500 foreigners – mostly Americans – trying to visit Canada for non-essential purposes, including sightseeing, shopping and recreation, since pandemic restrictions on travel were imposed. The latest data available from the Canada Border Services Agency reveals that 7,639 foreign nationals were denied entry to Canada under the discretionary travel ban between March 22 and June 16. Americans accounted for 87 per cent of those denied entry, with 6,615 U.S. citizens being sent home by Canadian border agents. The remaining 1,024…

Read More

Some Living In U.S. Eye Canada For Health Care, But Not Everybody Can Get In | CBC News

mdbincbi

Deborah Millar-Jervis and husband Robert Jervis were faced with a choice. They could continue paying roughly $1,600 US a month for health insurance or leave the United States and move to Canada. The staggering, and rising, cost of their insurance did not include doctors visits, dental care, prescriptions or the deductible amount they had to meet before accessing coverage. So, four years ago, the couple packed up their home in Blaine, Wash., and moved four hours north to Penticton, B.C. “We loved living there [in the U.S.], we had a…

Read More

Canada-U.S. Border Closure To Be Extended Beyond June 21, Sources Say | CBC News

mdbincbi

The Canada-U.S. border closure to all non-essential traffic will be extended beyond the June 21 date set last month, sources tell CBC News. Sources with direct knowledge of the situation have confirmed to CBC News that Canada and the United States are holding talks about extending the border restrictions but the agreement has yet to be signed. Both countries reached an agreement in March to temporarily close the border to non-essential travel — meaning no recreational visits — while keeping it open to commercial traffic and essential workers who cross…

Read More

House Lawmakers Question Homeland Security Over Protester Surveillance | CNET

mdbincbi

House Democrats on the Oversight Committee on Saturday called for the Department of Homeland Security to explain how it has conducted surveillance of protesters demonstrating against racial discrimination and police violence. “This Administration has undermined the First Amendment freedoms of Americans of all races who are rightfully protesting George Floyd’s killing,” said lawmakers in their letter to acting Department of Homeland Security Chad Wolf. “The deployment of drones and officers to surveil protests is a gross abuse of authority and is particularly chilling when used against Americans who are protesting…

Read More

5 Green Infrastructure Projects Engineers Recommend To Boost COVID-19 Economic Recovery | CBC News

mdbincbi

With at least two million jobs lost across Canada due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the economy officially in recession, more stimulus is expected from the federal government to get the economy moving again.   To date, the government has spent more than $145 billion on direct support for Canadians related to COVID-19.  Beyond what has already been pledged for stimulus, experts say additional investments in infrastructure, especially related to clean technology, are one of the best ways to get people back to work and to leave a lasting legacy.  Read full story here:…

Read More

New Normal: Are Canadians Ready To Go Cashless After Coronavirus? | CTV News

mdbincbi

TORONTO — As the pandemic loomed, Lillian Elliott and her partner Sheryl Davies headed to the ATM to stock up on a bit of cash. They haven’t touched it since. The residents of Montague, P.E.I. had made it a habit of budgeting using cash in envelopes but since fears of transmission of COVID-19 has given widespread pause to handling bills and coins, the two have entirely shifted to using a credit card for expenses. “I just don’t want to be touching money right now,” says Elliott, but she can’t foresee…

Read More

COVID-19 Could Set A New Norm For Surveillance And Privacy | CNET

mdbincbi

App developers are creating tools to monitor people when they shop and work, despite lacking proof that it works or has safeguards to protect your data. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people interact and fostered more concern over our health. But that shift in mindset means daily activities like going grocery shopping or simple acts like standing in an elevator will come with even more surveillance strings attached. The response by governments and the tech industry to the coronavirus outbreak has already raised many concerns about privacy from…

Read More