Tag: surveillance
Canada’s Political Party Privacy Hall of Shame
The top privacy breaches of all time by political parties
What we heard from YOU on child online safety
Results show parents' concerns about their children's exposure to harmful content and lack of knowledge on online safety practices.
Mapping the Data Broker Economy: Taking Back Our Data
In order to shine a light on the data broker economy, we’ve filed personal information requests to take back our data, and are exploring the privacy risks of data brokers.
YOUR VOICE DELIVERED: More than 3,000 speak out in the US against digital advertising!
Data brokers and advertisers prey upon our sensitive data and our community is sick of it.
How the federal government failed to protect our mobility data
Instead of keeping its promise to strengthen Canada’s privacy laws, the federal government is taking advantage of our system’s weaknesses.
Our location data: What we know now
What we’ve learned one week into testimony about the government’s use of cell phone tracking during COVID-19.
Message to Higher Education: Trust Students, not Pandemic Profiteers
If we’re going to overcome this pandemic, our public institutions need to reject the rhetoric of mistrust by disowning the remote proctoring companies that profit off misfortune.
Facial recognition: Four things you need to know
Facial recognition: most of us have heard the term, and maybe even experienced it when our faces are recognised and tagged on social media, or to unlock our phones. But do you know what the concerns are, and whether it’s being used in public spaces in Canada? Here’s four things you should know.
What’s the ‘5G hype’ all about?
5G: The next generation of hyperconnectivity and surveillance with a side of international power struggle.
Privacy Commissioner’s report calls on the RCMP to increase transparency around the use of cellphone surveillance tools
A complaint launched by OpenMedia into the use of IMSI-catchers (a.k.a Stingrays) reveals that six warrantless deployments of the device violated the Charter
Here’s how our new #BorderWrites tool will get your Member of Congress to rethink Border Privacy
Our new tool will let you send a letter to be featured in newspapers all across the nation — a mass message on border privacy Members of Congress simply cannot ignore.
Home Office leak reveals secret plan to end encryption
A shocking leak reveals Home Office plans to gain real-time access to our texts AND force companies like WhatsApp to break the security on its own software.
Stingrays spying in Ottawa! Have you cc’d Goodale yet?
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale’s response to Ottawa’s Stingray scandal has been woefully inadequate for Canadian privacy. We need a stronger plan to #StopStingrays — and this is where you come in, OpenMedia community.
After years of secrecy, RCMP finally admits to using mass cell phone surveillance tools on Canadians
Amidst growing controversy, the RCMP says it deployed IMSI-catchers — commonly known as Stingrays — dozens of times in recent years
Do you know where your private data travels online?
Our friends at IXmaps have launched a greatly improved Internet mapping tool to let you see exactly where your private data travels online
Is your Internet data ending up in the NSA’s hands?
Have you ever heard of Internet Exchanges? They are the physical places that ensure your data reliably makes it from point A to point B. But their physical nature and location also makes us more vulnerable to surveillance.
How surveillance undermines democratic values we all hold dear
You may be wondering what all the fuzz is about in the privacy arena lately. So here’s why you should be paying attention.
Here’s what we just told key MPs about Bill C-51
Our Executive Director Laura Tribe testified before a key House of Commons committee studying Bill C-51’s information sharing provisions
Top 10 ways you helped save the Internet in 2016
As we face the challenges of 2017, let’s all be inspired by these amazing examples of how you helped save the Internet last year.
We’re calling for transparency on Bill C-51
Over 30 civil society organizations and experts have signed a joint letter calling on the government to restore trust in the commitment to respond to Canadians’ concerns over mass surveillance
Trump’s election should prompt Canada to rethink its complicity with U.S. mass surveillance
Do Trump's pronouncements on issues of online privacy, surveillance, and net neutrality send a shiver down your spine? It might be a wake up call for Canada.
Secure yourself in under 5 minutes: A quick and easy guide for staying safe at protests and rallies
TL;DR Going to a protest? Do this: 1 - put a password on your phone, 2 - protect your accounts with strong passwords, 3 - encrypt your texts and call
Bill C-51: Canadians won’t accept tinkering at the margins
Our own Victoria Henry argues that Canadians deserve better than Bill C-51 - we deserve our privacy back.
And this is why we need to repeal C-51: Federal Court judgement slams CSIS for violating privacy rights of Canadians
Today’s ruling reinforces the case for a full repeal of Bill C-51 and for stronger accountability and oversight mechanisms
Join the #YourNatlSec twitter chat and tell Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale Canadians want privacy reforms
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale is asking for your feedback in an online discussion – let’s make sure we speak out!
We just met with top decision-makers at Public Safety about Bill C-51: here’s what we told them
Your OpenMedia team met with top officials at Public Safety Canada about Bill C-51 — and we had lots to say!
New report reveals potential extent of invasive Stingray phone surveillance in Canada
We’re calling on Public Safety Minister Goodale to address this blatant violation of Canadians' Charter rights in the government's security consultation
Got something to say about Privacy? You could win $4,000 through this new scholarship program
Our friends at ExpressVPN have a new scholarship for U.S.-based undergraduates and high school students keen on sharing their thoughts about online privacy with a global audience. Here's what you need to do to enter.
Security oversight committee is an encouraging step, but we have a long way to go to safeguard Canadians’ privacy
Today’s announcement has the potential to strengthen oversight of Canada’s security agencies, but is only the first of many reforms required.
Motherboard reveals that RCMP have been using Stingray devices extensively while indefinitely storing sensitive information on innocent Canadians
Today it was revealed by Motherboard that the RCMP have been extensively using Stingray devices in Canada for the past decade, scooping up the sensitive information of thousands of innocent Canadians in the process.
Revelations of CSE sharing metadata with NSA for years underlines need for far tighter oversight
Information handed over to the NSA and other foreign agencies can reveal the most intimate details of a Canadian’s private life.
Rogers releases third annual transparency report
Encouraging to see Rogers shed a light on the company’s disclosure of subscriber information to law enforcement and challenge ‘tower dumps’ in court. We hope to see other big telecoms take on similar transparency initiatives.
OpenMedia delivered your views on Canada’s Bill C-51 to Minister Goodale
Our own Laura Tribe met with Minister of Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness, Ralph Goodale, to discuss the reckless, dangerous and ineffective Bill C-51. Here's what happened and what happens next.
Stingrays: Canadian law enforcement’s worst-kept secret
It's time for an informed debate about the use of these spying tools -- and for that we need transparency from police.
The open letter every Netflix user needs to read
We've written to Netflix's Reed Hastings to ask him to stop blocking privacy-conscious VPN users
We’re meeting with Minister Goodale on C-51, and we want you to make sure your voices are heard: What should we say?
We are meeting in person with Canada’s Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Ralph Goodale to discuss Bill C-51 and we need you to tell us what you want us to say to him. Comment away below!
How Canadians worked together to shape an action plan for online privacy
The story of how citizens united to safeguard "the greatest tool for connectivity that humankind has ever invented" from becoming a government spying tool.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Encryption (HBO)
The one and only John Oliver joins the encryption debate.
It’s time for Canada to hold its spy agencies accountable with new framework for oversight and review
OpenMedia has joined civil society organizations from across Canada in a letter to Minister Ralph Goodale about what’s needed to fix our currently deficient oversight model for our spy agencies.
What the heck is a Stingray? (And what does it have to do with my privacy?)
A growing concern in the privacy world, the surveillance device nicknamed a “Stingray”, is an invasive technology that threatens to undermine the privacy of anyone with a cell phone.
UK’s Investigatory Powers Bill must not be rushed through Parliament
The bill has repeatedly been criticized by citizens, civil society, and parliamentary reports, for handing too much power to spy agencies without effective safeguards.
What’s all the fuss about the U.K.’s Investigatory Powers Bill?
The U.K.'s current Investigatory Powers Bill fails to successfully address the negative publicity surrounding mass surveillance, in fact it's doing quite the opposite. Here's why.
Knee-deep in surveillance: Bill C-51’s unhappy birthday
As Canada marks one year since the introduction of Bill C-51, our Laura Tribe examines where we're at, and the prospects for repealing this controversial bill.
Halt to CSE sharing of metadata is welcome, but comes too late for Canadians whose privacy has already been compromised
Canadian intelligence agency CSE announced they will stop sharing metadata with foreign intelligence agencies after revelations that shared information was not being sufficiently protected. But our privacy rights must come before the intelligence needs of foreign spy agencies.
Encryption backdoors put us all at risk
The security of the Internet as we know it is based on encryption – so why are authorities trying to break it?
The best thing you can do right now to kill Bill C-51
The battle isn't over - we can still kill Bill C-51 and there's more than one way to do it. Make sure to add your voice!
Why does Canada’s government want to creep on our social media feeds?
Canada's military wants to spy on the world's social media output - and Canadians are sure to be trapped in the dragnet.
Dear world leaders: We need you to stand up for encryption
We’ve joined with our friends at Access Now in a new global initiative to defend strong encryption.
Looking back at 2015: our biggest wins, and the challenges yet to come
2015 was the busiest year in our young organization’s history. Check out what our community achieved together!
Is the Vancouver Police Department sweeping up your cell phone data?
This morning it was announced that the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) is refusing to acknowledge use of the controversial surveillance device, the StingRay. While the VPD’s statement does not confirm that this technology is in use, their refusal to deny it has sparked concern from privacy experts.
Kent Roach & Craig Forcese: Press the reset button on security
The ongoing work of Professors Kent Roach and Craig Forcese on C-51 provides the most exhaustive analysis of the bill and is a must-read for anyone concerned with the issue.
Article by Kent Roach and Craig Forcese for the National Post
Security issues are a campaign issue — at least we think they are. To date, little has actually been said on the topic, and what has been said amounts to the parties doubling down on entrenched and vague (even symbolic) positions.
CBC: Tories yank ‘24 hour surveillance’ stickers on signs in Harper’s Calgary riding
File this under “So amazing it’s actually true."
Stephen Harper’s constituency team have been busying themselves by adding “24 hour surveillance” stickers to their own election signs. And then removing them when CBC noticed.
Article by Haydn Watters for CBC
Common Sense Canadian: Why privacy matters in this Canadian election
Most Canadians do not want to give up their privacy rights. This election, will you vote for online privacy? Pledge your vote at OurDigitalFuture.ca
Article by Kevin Grandia for Common Sense Canadian
While you are out this weekend enjoying the last days of summer on the beach and the RCMP come by to check whether your cooler is full of (gasp) beer or wine, you have every right to tell them (I would suggest politely) that no, they cannot look in your cooler.
Straight: Date set for committee to hear complaints against CSIS at secret hearing in Vancouver
Next week the SIRC is holding a secret hearing about a complaint that alleges CSIS illegally spied on activists and First Nations people. The high-profile case is being led by our friends at BCCLA.
Article by Travis Lupick for the Georgia Straight
A group of B.C. environmentalists is about to have its day in court in a high-profile case against the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS).
CTV: File breach at electronic spy agency prompts mandatory privacy training
This is the agency our government is telling us to "just trust" with our secrets?
Article by Jim Bronskill for CTV News
OTTAWA - Canada's electronic spy agency introduced mandatory privacy awareness training for all employees in March following an internal breach involving personal information.
Toronto Star: RCMP tracked Toronto activists with fake Facebook profile
Would liking a page or an article about blacklivesmatter on your social profile get you tracked by the RCMP, looking for other "subversive" materials? Does sharing content about social equality make you an activist? Subversive? A target of the RCMP?
And what's next, under C-51... ?
Article by Laurent Bastien Corbeil for the Toronto Star
Has a waddle of penguins ever “liked” your Facebook page? If so, your account may have been monitored by the RCMP.
Conservative MP Laurie Hawn attacks Canadian Businesses that raised concerns about Bill C-51
Wow -- this is how Conservative MP Laurie Hawn responded to the now 140+ businesses who have raised concerns in a letter published by the National Post about reckless spying Bill C-51:"[They] should seriously reconsider their business model and their lack of commitment to the values that bind us as Canadians".
Keep in mind that the list of signatories includes the founder of the largest software company in Canada.
In fact the list of signatories runs the gamut from local bakeries, to property developers, to venture capitalists. It’s amazingly unbecoming of a public office holder like Laurie Hawn to question the loyalty to Canada of these business people from across the country.
LAST CHANCE: Just 24 hours to tell your MP to #RejectFear and #StopC51
This is it folks - there are now just 24 hours before tomorrow’s FINAL House of Commons vote on Bill C-51.
That’s right – there are just hours left to tell your MP to vote against this reckless Bill that will endanger our rights, turn CSIS into a secret police force, and make us all less safe.
As the clock ticks down, we need to pull out all the stops to tell MPs to side with Canadians, do the right thing, and vote against this reckless, dangerous, and ineffective legislation.
WORLD POLICY JOURNAL: Just how exposed are Canadians to NSA spying?
Canadians are under the NSA’s microscope - and it’s time for that to change. Here are practical steps from Privacy Coalition expert Prof. Andrew Clement to help safeguard Canadian networks from foreign spies. If you want to help shape a crowdsourced pro-privacy plan for Canada, be sure to add your voice at https://openmedia.org/privacyplan.
Article by Prof. Andrew Clement for World Policy Journal
TORONTO—Edward Snowden’s June 2013 leak has shone unprecedented light on the dark underside of Internet connectivity. So far, however, Canada has remained a victim largely hidden in the shadows.
How Canadian companies can fight surveillance
Canadian Internet Service Providers are eerily silent when it comes to information about whether or not they have assisted ultra-secretive spy agency CSEC with their surveillance of law-abiding Canadians. Jon Penney discusses what Canadian companies can do to help fight surveillance.
Article by Jon Penney for The Citizen Lab
The Communications Security Establishment’s surveillance practices raise significant privacy concerns but full answers, transparency, or substantive reforms ensuring democratic oversight from either CSEC, or the Canadian Government, are not likely forthcoming. Canadians should also care about what to do in the meantime. Professor Michael Geist has recently posted about what average Canadians can do about mass online surveillance and Professor Kent Roach has written about where to direct reforms. Here, I want to talk about what Canadian internet companies can do, or do differently, to help fill Canada’s transparency void.
Last week, CSEC chief John Forster appeared before the Senate’s national defence committee and did little more than deny allegations of mass surveillance on Canadians, while Senators struggled to pin him down. Given the Prime Minister’s vote of confidence in CSEC, via his top security advisor, any change, or full accounting of the agency’s activities, is unlikely anytime soon.
Digital Journal: What will it take for CSEC spying to spark more outrage?
In this hard-hitting op-ed, George Arthur asks what it will take for Canadians to get answers about out-of-control spy agency CSEC.
Article by George Arthur for the Digital Journal
This is the question I am left with as I consider what it will take for Canadians to demand answers about the true operations of the spy agency that is set to move into the most expensive governmental building in the nation’s history.
According to the careers page for Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSEC), “2014 promises to be an exciting year.” The organization is scheduled to move into “a newly constructed, state-of-the-art facility co-located with the Headquarters of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service” (CSIS). The new home for Canada’s top spies “will be the largest repository of Top Secret information in Canada.”
The Ryan and Amy Show tackles surveillance issues with a catchy music video
Check out this great video by The Ryan and Amy Show. Do you always feel like somebody's watching you too? You can learn more about Canada's largest pro-privacy coalition at https://OurPrivacy.ca
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