Personal data is a sensitive subject, and issues involving it are constantly making headlines. Most notably, there was the recent battle between Apple and the FBI over the unlocking of the iPhone 5C of the shooter responsible for the San Bernardino attacks in 2015.
The FBI eventually dropped their request, but not without a bitter war of the words that caused widespread debate among Apple users, politicians and government officials alike.
However, one mobile phone developer has an entirely different stance when it comes to device unlocking or data requests from the authorities. A CBC report reveals that BlackBerry actively cooperates with the police, providing them with access to user data and BBM messages for use in their investigations.
Within the confines of their Waterloo, Ontario headquarters, there exists a highly secretive unit that carries out these requests. While their intentions for allowing law enforcement to have this access are certainly good, their reasoning might not sit well with BlackBerry users.
Read more here:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/blackberry-taps-user-messages-1.3620186
Say, do you remember old what’s-his-face? You know, that guy who might have shoplifted from your store a while back? If not, there’s a new technology being developed that will help many retailers solve that problem.
Los Angeles-based FaceFirst is helping to crack down on crime with an intelligent software system that scans the faces of customers upon entering a store. The software then captures an image of each face and compares their features to those of known shoplifters. A Canadian equivalent, developed by Genetec in Montreal, is also in the works.
In theory, a system like this sounds like a good idea, as it might help the police to nab recurring five-finger discount seekers, but the facial recognition software is not without its detractors. Some top privacy experts are questioning its legality in Canada.
Read more here:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/facial-recognition-shopping-1.3561060
