Access and Privacy Online

Access and Privacy Online


US health department unveils strategy to expand its adoption of AI technology

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday outlined a strategy to expand its use of artificial intelligence, building on the Trump administration’s enthusiastic embrace of the rapidly advancing technology while raising questions about how health information would be protected. HHS billed the plan as a “first step” focused […]

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Cameras keep an eye on safety

Thanks to an agreement with Telus, Drayton Valley now has cameras at four major intersections on the outskirts of the municipality. Cody Rossing, the manager of enforcement and emergency management for the Town, says the four cameras will have the same purpose as the CCTV cameras at the Team Auction Centre and the skate park. […]

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Councillors reject minimums for public meetings

THUNDER BAY – Most city councillors don’t want to be forced to hold public meetings with their constituents. In a 5-8 vote, Coun. Greg Johnsen’s motion to require each councillor to host a minimum of one ward or town hall meeting per year failed to gain the support of his colleagues, particularly at-large councillors. The […]

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B.C., Ottawa deflect responsibility for train-wildlife collisions

B.C.’s minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship hopes to start working with the federal government toward a strategy to prevent train-wildlife collisions in the new year. “It’s really concerning,” Randene Neill said in an interview with The Narwhal this week. “I wasn’t aware that the numbers are that high.” Neill’s comments follow The Narwhal’s […]

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Australia to enforce social media age limit of 16 next week with fines up to $33 million

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Social media platforms must report monthly how many children’s accounts they close once Australia begins enforcing its 16-year age limit next week, a minister said Wednesday. Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube would face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) from Dec. 10 […]

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Settlement in 23andMe data breach class-action proposed at about $4.49M

Canadians affected by a 23andMe data security breach two years ago have reached a proposed class-action settlement with the genetic testing company for approximately $4.49 million. Canada’s privacy watchdog said in June the personal data of almost seven million people, including nearly 320,000 in Canada, was compromised by hackers over a five-month period beginning in […]

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Premier calls for investigation into Nova Scotia Power over handling of cyberattack

The premier of Nova Scotia is calling for an investigation into how a major power utility has handled a cyberattack, saying residents should not be responsible for paying for Nova Scotia Power’s failures. Tim Houston wrote to the chair of the Nova Scotia Energy Board, saying he wants the regulator to look into the way […]

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Oakland police won’t release body camera video of ex-NFL player Doug Martin’s in-custody death

The Oakland Police Department has declined to provide the public with access to police body camera videos that would show what happened on Oct. 18, the morning former Oakland Raiders running back Doug Martin died while in the custody of several OPD officers. In response to a public records request by The Oaklandside, the department […]

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Police in Kelowna, Abbotsford, B.C., warn of fake speeding tickets issued by text

Police in two B.C. cities are warning area residents after a number of cases where fraudsters are texting potential victims telling them they need to pay their fines for speeding tickets. RCMP say a number of people in Kelowna have reported receiving the texts, where they are asked to provide personal information such as date […]

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Trump administration threatens to withhold SNAP management funds from states that don’t share data

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration warned on Tuesday that it will withhold money for administering SNAP food aid in most Democratic-controlled states starting next week unless those states provide information about people receiving the assistance. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday that the action is looming because those states […]

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Federal gaps leave Indigenous Elders without adequate long-term care

Gaps in federal funding and authority expose many First Nations and Inuit Elders in Canada to inadequate long-term care, forcing them to leave their home communities, language and culture, documents show.  The document obtained by Canada’s National Observer through an Access to Information and Privacy request shows that limited funding, unclear responsibilities and gaps between […]

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Adding Alberta health-care numbers to licences increases fraud risk: privacy watchdog

Alberta’s privacy watchdog is raising concerns about the government’s plan to add health-care numbers to driver’s licences and other forms of identification. Information and privacy commissioner Diane McLeod said it would increase the risk of fraud as the numbers could be obtained outside of health-care settings. “Personal health numbers of Canadians are a sought-after commodity […]

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