OTTAWA — Two Facebook users are seeking damages on behalf of hundreds of thousands of Canadians whose personal data may have been improperly used for political purposes. The proposed class-action lawsuit filed by Calgary residents Saul Benary and Karma Holoboff asks the Federal Court to order the social-media giant to bolster its security practices to better protect sensitive information and comply with federal privacy law. It also seeks $1,000 for each of the approximately 622,000 Canadians whose information was shared with others through a digital app. In April last year,…
Read MorePolice Are Using Facial Recognition For Minor Crimes Because They Can | CNET
Cities all across the US have passed bans on facial recognition, with variations in how strong the regulations are. Though Portland, Oregon, banned facial recognition from all government and commercial use, others are only limiting it from police use. Some cities, like Detroit, have enacted lighter measures, such as allowing facial recognition to be used only when investigating violent crimes, while police in New York have been able to use the technology for crimes like shoplifting. On Oct. 9, a New York judge decided in a package-theft case that facial…
Read MoreWindows 10 Is Installing Office Web Apps Without Asking Permission | Engadget
Mandatory Windows 10 updates aren’t new, but the latest example is raising a few hackles. Windows Latest, ZDNet, The Verge and users are reporting that Windows 10 is force-restarting PCs to install links to Office web apps that launch in Edge, including in the Start menu. And despite initial reports, this isn’t limited to Insider members — people using standard Windows 10 releases have seen the change as well. The apps take up no storage or other resources. Until now, though, installing Office web apps was optional. Windows isn’t asking for your permission, let alone informing you of…
Read More‘They Already Have All The Freaking Information’: Federal Government Announces Plan To File Some People’s Taxes For Them | National Post
OTTAWA – The federal government wants the Canada Revenue Agency to start filing taxes for some Canadians, particularly those who are missing out on potentially crucial benefits. It was a short line in Wednesday’s throne speech that took all of eight seconds for Governor General Julie Payette to read, but the potential impact for some Canadians — particularly those who depend on certain benefits to make ends meet — was significant. “The Government will also work to introduce free, automatic tax filing for simple returns to ensure citizens receive the…
Read MoreCRA Cyberattacks Impacted Four Times As Many Accounts As Previously Believed | CTV News
OTTAWA — In a major update to the impact of a series of credential stuffing attacks on government websites including the Canada Revenue Agency, the country’s top information officer now says that “suspicious activities” have been found on 48,500 CRA user accounts. In August the CRA temporarily shut down its online services and applications after hackers used thousands of previously stolen usernames and passwords to fraudulently access government services in three separate but serious breaches, compromising the personal information of thousands. Read full story here: CRA Cyberattacks Impacted Four Times…
Read MoreHundreds Of Americans Are Still Trying To Enter Canada For Shopping, Recreation: CBSA | CTV News
OTTAWA — As Canada and the U.S. move to extend the border closure by another month, more than 12,000 Americans have been turned away at our shared border — and almost half of them were coming to Canada to sightsee, shop or have some fun, despite the ongoing pandemic. The number has continued to climb since CTV News first reported last month that more than 10,000 U.S. citizens attempted non-essential border crossings. According to the latest figures sent to CTVNews.ca by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), 12,819 U.S. citizens…
Read MoreCanada To Retaliate ‘Dollar For Dollar’ After U.S. Slaps 10% Tariff On Aluminum | CBC News
Ottawa will impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods in response to President Donald Trump’s decision to restore a 10 per cent tariff on Canadian aluminum imports. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland announced the measures Thursday evening hours after Trump said he would impose the tariffs during a campaign speech at a Whirlpool factory in Ohio, citing national security concerns. Freeland, in a statement, said Canada “intends to swiftly impose dollar-for-dollar countermeasures” in response. Read full story here: Canada To Retaliate ‘Dollar For Dollar’ After U.S. Slaps 10% Tariff On Aluminum…
Read MoreLED Lights Can Help Save The Planet, One Bulb At A Time | CNET
Upgrading your light bulbs is the easiest and smartest way to help reduce your home’s carbon footprint. Here’s the math. Our lights are usually the first things we turn on when we wake up, and the last things we turn off before we go to sleep. We use them every day and to do almost everything: cook, work, enjoy family meals and relax with a book. But we hardly ever think about how one type of light can be a success story in the fight against climate change. Read full…
Read MoreDigital Contact Tracing Apps In The US That Use ENS Tech From Google And Apple Are Still ‘Weeks’ Away | Engadget
In order to help fight the spread of COVID-19, Apple and Google quickly developed exposure notification technology for Android and iOS that that relied on Bluetooth technology in mobile phones. They initially released their platforms in May (via an update for iOS and Play Store services on Android), but so far, in the US apps based on the technology have not rolled out widely. According to a Google blog post, apps based on their exposure notification systems have launched in 16 countries and regions, with Canada joining that count on…
Read MoreThe Canada-U.S. Border Could Be Closed For Months. Here’s What You Need To Know Now | CBC News
Gone are the days when Canadians and Americans could freely drive across their shared border for a quick shopping trip or to visit family and friends. Now, the Canada-U.S. land border that was once wide open is closed to non-essential travel, affecting the lives of many people on both sides. Here’s the latest on what you need to know about Canada-U.S. border rules and why our neighbours to the south may not be visiting for a while. Read full story here: The Canada-U.S. Border Could Be Closed For Months. Here’s…
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