Category Archives: Consumer tech
Facebook Canada head warns news posts could be blocked as last resort
OTTAWA — The head of Facebook Canada says it will try to avoid a repeat of the news blackout it imposed in Australia, so long as impending legislation doesn't force it to dim the lights of democracy. "It is never something
Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg summoned to testify before Commons heritage committee
TORONTO — NDP MP Heather McPherson says Canada's heritage committee has decided to summon Facebook Inc. chief executive Mark Zuckerberg to testify. She says Zuckerberg would likely be asked about regulating online hate speech, Facebook's ability to sel...
Virtual voting for House of Commons moves into next phase with debut of mobile app
OTTAWA — Members of Parliament zipped through two votes in 30 minutes Monday as they began using new technology allowing them to cast votes with their mobile devices. The voting app is the latest adaptation of the parliamentary process to allow
CRTC says cancellation fee protections apply to three-year device plans
GATINEAU, Que. — The CRTC says that consumers with smartphone-financing plans of three years or longer will be protected by a policy that caps cancellation fees. Since 2019, Canada's major mobile phone carriers have increasingly offered plans that sepa...
Man charged with threats to politicians, media personalities
NEW YORK — A New York man faces charges alleging that he threatened past and present political figures and media personalities on social media, authorities announced Friday. Rickey Johnson, 47, awaited an appearance in Manhattan federal court where he ...
Netflix plans to open an office in Canada and grow its relationship with its creators
TORONTO — Netflix plans to open an office in Canada in what the streaming giant calls "a big first step" toward content creation in this country. Netflix co-CEO and chief content officer Ted Sarandos says the California-based company is still figuring...
UN survey uses Angry Birds to reveal Canadian, global opinions on climate policies
Canadians are "Angry Birds" when it comes to climate change, shows a survey the United Nations calls the largest ever taken on the issue. The mammoth survey, which drew respondents through the use of popular online games, ranked Canada seventh out
N.S. food delivery startup offers restaurants lower fees, customer service control
HALIFAX — Delivery was never on the menu at restaurateur Craig Flinn’s neighbourhood eateries. Even when spring lockdowns shuttered restaurants and forced diners to stay home, the chef and proprietor of Two Doors Down offered only curbside pickup, rej...
Judge says Amazon won’t have to restore Parler web service
Amazon won't be forced to immediately restore web service to Parler after a federal judge ruled Thursday against a plea to reinstate the fast-growing social media app, which is favoured by followers of former President Donald Trump. U.S. District Judge...
Shopify terminates stores connected to Trump after violence at U.S. Capitol
TORONTO — Outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump's stores were taken off-line by Shopify Inc. on Thursday, as the country grappled with the role he played in inciting violence that erupted at the Capitol building the day before.The Ottawa-based e-commerc...