Tech

Tech


FTC sends $5.6 million in refunds to Ring customers as part of video privacy settlement

NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Trade Commission is sending more than $5.6 million in refunds to consumers as part of a settlement with Amazon-owned Ring, which was charged with failing to protect private video footage from outside access. In a 2023 complaint, the FTC accused the doorbell camera and home security provider of allowing […]

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Trudeau won’t comment on future of TikTok in U.S., says Canadian safety a priority

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he’s not going to comment on the future of TikTok in the United States, but his own government will continue to look out for Canadians’ security. The U.S. Senate has passed a bill that would force TikTok’s parent company, Beijing-based ByteDance, to sell the social-media app within the year or […]

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What a TikTok ban in the US could mean for you

No, TikTok will not suddenly disappear from your phone. Nor will you go to jail if you continue using it after it is banned.  After years of attempts to ban the Chinese-owned app, including by former President Donald Trump, a measure to outlaw the popular video-sharing app has won congressional approval and is on its […]

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Cisco Systems joins Microsoft, IBM in Vatican pledge to ensure ethical use and development of AI

ROME (AP) — Tech giant Cisco Systems on Wednesday joined Microsoft and IBM in signing onto a Vatican-sponsored pledge to ensure artificial intelligence is developed and used ethically and to benefit the common good. Cisco Systems chief executive Chuck Robbins signed the document, known as the Rome Call, and met privately with Pope Francis, the […]

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Border agency eyes smartphone facial recognition system amid privacy concerns

Travellers would be able to use facial recognition technology to identify themselves through their smartphones when crossing the border under a planned federal project.  The Canada Border Services Agency says the initiative would allow for a faster and more seamless travel experience. A pilot project is still two to four years away, but an Ottawa-based […]

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Senate passes bill forcing TikTok’s parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok’s China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that’s expected to face legal challenges and disrupt the lives of content creators who rely on the short-form video app for income.  […]

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Trump called this visa ‘very bad’ for Americans. Truth Social applied for one

MIAMI (AP) — The social media company founded by former President Donald Trump applied for a business visa program that he sought to restrict during his administration and which many of his allies want him to curtail in a potential second term. Trump Media & Technology Group, the company behind Truth Social, filed an application […]

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Cyberattacks are on the rise, and that includes small businesses. Here’s what to know

NEW YORK (AP) — Cyberattacks on businesses are rising, including small businesses. It’s a troubling trend because a breach can be very costly and time consuming if owners don’t have a plan to deal with one. According to the Verizon 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report, the median cost per ransomware attack — which features a […]

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Ottawa puts up $50M in federal budget to hedge against job-stealing AI

Worried artificial intelligence is coming for your job? So is the federal government — enough, at least, to set aside $50 million for skills retraining for workers.  One of the centrepiece promises in the federal budget released Tuesday was $2.3 billion in investments aiming to boost adoption of the technology and the artificial intelligence industry […]

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A bill that could ban TikTok advances to the Senate. What’s next?

The House has approved legislation that would ban TikTok if its Beijing-based parent company doesn’t divest from the popular social media platform, escalating the fight over the hot-button issue. The TikTok legislation, which was included in a package of bills that would send aid to Ukraine and Israel, could become law as soon as next […]

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Biden signs bill extending a key US surveillance program after divisions nearly forced it to lapse

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Saturday signed legislation reauthorizing a key U.S. surveillance law after divisions over whether the FBI should be restricted from using the program to search for Americans’ data nearly forced the statute to lapse. Barely missing its midnight deadline, the Senate had approved the bill by a 60-34 vote […]

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First major attempts to regulate AI face headwinds from all sides

DENVER (AP) — Artificial intelligence is helping decide which Americans get the job interview, the apartment, even medical care, but the first major proposals to reign in bias in AI decision making are facing headwinds from every direction. Lawmakers working on these bills, in states including Colorado, Connecticut and Texas, came together Thursday to argue […]

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