| Last Updated: Apr 20, 2011 9:30 AM ET
Today in technology: the Pirate Party offers Canadians access to a virtual private network (VPN) in response to a Conservative Party plan to monitor how Canadians’ Internet usage, three major tech firms report strong quarterly earnings and Google Inc. invests US$100-million into a wind power project.
Pirate Party fights Internet monitoring
The Internet is quickly moving to the forefront of attention-grabbing issues in Canada’s 41st general election. After the Tories made it clear earlier this month that if granted a majority, they would combine all three Conservative crime bills — C-50, C-51 and C-52 — and push them through together in its first 90 days of power, the Pirate Party offered Canadians a way to mute one of those initiatives on Tuesday.
Under the proposed Conservative laws, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) would be required to keep records of their customers Internet usage for a three month period and release details such as names, phone numbers and addresses after police obtained a warrant. The ISP would be barred from telling the customer their information was being accessed.
By offering Canadians access to a virtual private network (VPN) on Tuesday, the Pirate Party will make it possible for Internet users to access the Web through an encrypted third party, making it nearly impossible for ISPs to monitor usage beyond the initial connection to the VPN.
A similar tactic to those employed by Internet users living under authoritarian regimes, the Pirate Party promised that for every VPN Canadians purchase at a cost of $10/200GB (gigabytes), the party will provide a free account for a user living in a repressive state.
While the Conservative laws might help law enforcement investigate crimes, Mikkel Paulson, the Pirate Party leader who is running in the riding of Edmonton Centre, told the Edmonton Journal on Tuesday that they represent an undue invasion of personal privacy.
“The common justification is that if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. Well, I don’t have anything to hide but I also don’t have anything to share,” he said.
“I don’t feel I should be considered guilty until proven innocent and that’s becoming increasingly the norm when it comes to Canadian law.”
Although it has never won a seat in the House of Commons, the Pirate Party is running 10 candidates across five provinces in this election. In 2009, the Swedish branch of the party won two seats in the European Parliament.
No word on whether the Pirate Party plans to endorse the Internet for Prime Minister.
Today in technology: the Pirate Party offers Canadians access to a virtual private network (VPN) in response to a Conservative Party plan to monitor how Canadians’ Internet usage, three major tech firms report strong quarterly earnings and Google Inc. invests US$100-million into a wind power project.
Pirate Party fights Internet monitoring
The Internet is quickly moving to the forefront of attention-grabbing issues in Canada’s 41st general election. After the Tories made it clear earlier this month that if granted a majority, they would combine all three Conservative crime bills — C-50, C-51 and C-52 — and push them through together in its first 90 days of power, the Pirate Party offered Canadians a way to mute one of those initiatives on Tuesday.
Under the proposed Conservative laws, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) would be required to keep records of their customers Internet usage for a three month period and release details such as names, phone numbers and addresses after police obtained a warrant. The ISP would be barred from telling the customer their information was being accessed.
By offering Canadians access to a virtual private network (VPN) on Tuesday, the Pirate Party will make it possible for Internet users to access the Web through an encrypted third party, making it nearly impossible for ISPs to monitor usage beyond the initial connection to the VPN.
A similar tactic to those employed by Internet users living under authoritarian regimes, the Pirate Party promised that for every VPN Canadians purchase at a cost of $10/200GB (gigabytes), the party will provide a free account for a user living in a repressive state.
While the Conservative laws might help law enforcement investigate crimes, Mikkel Paulson, the Pirate Party leader who is running in the riding of Edmonton Centre, told the Edmonton Journal on Tuesday that they represent an undue invasion of personal privacy.
“The common justification is that if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. Well, I don’t have anything to hide but I also don’t have anything to share,” he said.
“I don’t feel I should be considered guilty until proven innocent and that’s becoming increasingly the norm when it comes to Canadian law.”
Although it has never won a seat in the House of Commons, the Pirate Party is running 10 candidates across five provinces in this election. In 2009, the Swedish branch of the party won two seats in the European Parliament.
No word on whether the Pirate Party plans to endorse the Internet for Prime Minister.