Category: surveillance

Gov’t Can’t Be Trusted With Cellphone Tracking Amid Pandemic: Former Ontario Privacy Commissioner

Ontario’s former privacy commissioner is sounding the alarm about the government’s tracking of cellphone data to inform policy, after it was revealed last week that a federal agency has been analyzing the movements of Canadians since the onset of the pandemic. “It concerns me enormously that this would enable the government to collect more and…


Federal Health Agency Collecting Cellphone Data to Inform Pandemic Policies

Canada’s federal health agency has been using cellphone data to track the anonymized movements of Canadians since the onset of the pandemic in order to inform policy and public messaging, and it intends to continue the practice after the COVID-19 crisis is over. Reported by Blacklock’s on Dec. 21, the news was confirmed by the…


Canada’s Federal Health Agency Collecting Cellphone Data to Inform Pandemic Policies

Canada’s federal health agency has been using cellphone data to track the anonymized movements of Canadians since the onset of the pandemic in order to inform policy and public messaging, and it intends to continue the practice after the COVID-19 crisis is over. Reported by Blacklock’s on Dec. 21, the news was confirmed by the…


Social Media Deploys Addictive ‘Brain Hijacking’ Methods, May Violate Child Protection Laws: Rex Lee

Social networking companies have allegedly been making products intentionally addictive to maximize customer use and to make more profit. Yet by doing so, these companies may be violating laws on child protection and on customer rights, according to cybersecurity and privacy adviser Rex Lee. Companies are deploying addictive methods of “brain hijacking,” using deceptive terms…


No Warrant, No Problem: Report Details Law Enforcement’s Data Purchases

Instead of obtaining warrants to collect geolocation data from companies, U.S. federal law enforcers have turned to simply purchasing such information—a state of affairs that has privacy advocates calling for Congress to enact reforms. Law enforcement’s purchases of bulk data has been on the rise since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Carpenter v US,…


Federal Privacy Watchdog Warns of Growing Dangers of ‘Surveillance Capitalism’

OTTAWA—The federal privacy watchdog is warning Canadians about the growing threat of surveillance capitalism—the use of personal information by large corporations. In his annual report tabled Thursday in Parliament, privacy commissioner Daniel Therrien said state surveillance—a major concern after the 9/11 terrorist attacks—has been reined in somewhat in recent years. Meanwhile, personal data has emerged…


China’s New Surveillance

News Analysis Provincial authorities in China’s province of Henan are deadly serious about watching you. They recently requested bids for a nearly million-dollar surveillance system that specifically tracks foreigners, including journalists, students, and migrant women illegally seeking work in the country—they are “suspicious people” according to Henan authorities. The system is likely operational now, and…


Moscow Says It Is First to Launch Large-Scale Metro Facial ID Payment System

MOSCOW—Moscow’s sprawling metro network on Friday launched a fare payment system using facial recognition technology at its more than 240 stations, an initiative the authorities said was the first of its kind in the world. Moscow, a city of 12.7 million, has one of the world’s largest video-surveillance systems. It has used facial recognition technology…


Security Vulnerability in Chinese Surveillance Cameras Raises Concerns in Europe

A critical vulnerability found in surveillance cameras from Chinese firm Hikvision—which are used extensively in Europe—added to previous concerns about the company’s data practices, according to an Oct. 6 report from Politico. Hikvision is controlled by a Chinese military-industrial group and has been accused of collaborating with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in violating human…


Deep Dive (Sept. 27): Mayorkas: About 13,000 Haitians Released Into US

Thousands of illegal immigrants have been expelled from the country, but Homeland Security head Alejandro Mayorkas says thousands more illegal Haitian immigrants are being released into the United States. He said on Sunday, “About 4,000 actually have been expelled under the public health authority of the Centers for Disease Control. There are about 13,000 that are…