BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
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Clearview AI loses B.C. appeal of findings over facial recognition privacy breaches
The British Columbia Court of Appeal has dismissed a bid by U.S. facial recognition firm Clearview AI to overturn findings that the company is subject to Canadian privacy laws, despite no longer doing business in the country. The ruling released this week says Clearview AI was investigated by the information and privacy commissioners of B.C.,…
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Without nationwide rules, South Carolina lawmakers move to keep college athlete payments secret
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — One by one, South Carolina senators stood up at the Statehouse this week, saying they didn’t want to wade into the rules about paying college athletes, but they couldn’t bear to see their Gamecocks or Tigers left behind on the field or the court. South Carolina is poised to join at…
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Shia LaBeouf used homophobic slurs while assaulting New Orleans bar patrons, police say
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Actor Shia LaBeouf has been charged with battery and is accused of repeatedly using homophobic slurs while hitting multiple people at a New Orleans bar during Mardi Gras, according to a police report. The New Orleans police report obtained by The Associated Press via a public records request states that LaBeouf,…
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Man accused of economic espionage tells court he was unhappy at Hydro-Québec
A former researcher with Quebec’s hydro utility who is facing economic espionage charges said Thursday he was applying for work at universities in China as a contingency plan because he was unhappy at Hydro-Québec. Yuesheng Wang, 38, maintained under cross-examination that there was nothing nefarious about his interest in moving back to China. He explained…
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Dyck votes against Elections Alberta funding request on heels of his recall petition
A Grande Prairie local has applied for a petition to recall Grande Prairie MLA Nolan Dyck. Recall petitions for United Conservative Party MLAs are growing across the province following the government’s use of the notwithstanding clause to force teachers back to work. “Dyck was chosen by the people to represent their interests and not echo…
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Ottawa to restore accidentally deleted privacy provision in streaming bill
The Liberal government says it will restore a privacy provision to the Online Streaming Act, more than two years after it was accidentally deleted. The federal budget released this week says the government will make a legislative amendment to “restore the right to privacy of individuals to the interpretation provisions and remove a duplicative provision…
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Nevada ransomware attack started months before it was discovered, per report
LAS VEGAS (AP) — State workers were put on paid administrative leave. Nevada residents couldn’t receive their driver’s licenses. Employers were unable to conduct background checks on new hires. These were all effects of a massive cyberattack in Nevada that took nearly a month to fully restore its services. The ransomware attack – though discovered…
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Over 5,000 researchers oppose order to share 25 years of federal grant applicant data
More than 5,000 researchers have signed an open letter pushing back against a parliamentary committee order that they say draws parallels with the U.S. government’s crackdown on equity, diversity and inclusion funding in health and science research. The Standing Committee on Science and Research adopted a motion on Oct. 1 requiring health and science grant…
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IRS Direct File won’t be available next year. Here’s what that means for taxpayers
WASHINGTON (AP) — IRS Direct File, the electronic system for filing tax returns for free, will not be offered next year, the Trump administration has confirmed. An email sent Monday from IRS official Cynthia Noe to state comptrollers that participate in the Direct File program said that “IRS Direct File will not be available in…
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Cyberattack on Marks & Spencer slices profits by more than a half
LONDON (AP) — British retailer Marks and Spencer saw its half-year profits more than halve as a result of a cyberattack that brought its online business to a grinding halt. In a statement Wednesday, M&S said its underlying pretax profits tumbled 55.4% to 184.1 million pounds ($240 million) in the six months to Sept. 27,…
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Officials arrest man who allegedly promised to get weapons for attack on Jewish targets in Germany
BERLIN (AP) — A man suspected of promising to get weapons for an attack on Jewish targets in Germany was arrested Wednesday in Denmark, Germany’s top prosecutor said. The suspect, an Afghan national who was identified as Tawab M. in line with German privacy rules, had allegedly been in contact with a Danish national who…