Survey shows majority Canadians are willingly give up mobile privacy for free app

Victor Ferreira | The Right Click –

A recent Symantec survey shows that a majority of Canadians often worry about their mobile privacy, but have no problem trading it in for a free smartphone app.

James Nguyen, a Symantec mobile security expert warns Android users to think twice before they download free apps from Google Play because while they may not be paying with their bank accounts, they could be offering up personal information in exchange, instead.

"There are a lot of free apps out there and they rarely come without a cost," Nguyen said. "Your personal data is used as a sense of currency. It's a trade off."

The survey results show that 54 per cent of Canadians are willing to make that trade.

When Android apps are downloaded, users are immediately prompted with a message alerting them of what information the app requires in order to be installed. Some apps require access to features like a user's contacts and emails for synching purposes, but others require access to features like health and fitness data, camera, photos, and text messages.

New poll suggests Manitoba premier’s approval ratings has hit historic low

Metro/Shane Gibson

Steve Lambert  | The Canadian Press
A new opinion poll suggests Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger’s approval rating is at an all-time low.

Only 17 per cent of respondents to the Angus Reid survey said they approve of Selinger’s performance.

That is down from 30 per cent from a similar poll in September.

Selinger has been fending off a revolt by some caucus members, including five former cabinet ministers who resigned their portfolios last month.

Canada's Inflation Rate Now The Highest In The Developed World

Daniel Tencer | Huff
Outside of Japan, which has seen prices spike due to a tax hike, Canada has the highest inflation rate among major industrialized nations.

That’s according to an analysis from Bank of Montreal chief economist Doug Porter, who took last Friday’s surprisingly strong inflation numbers from StatsCan and compared them to inflation rates around the globe.

Stripping away Japan’s one-time price hike, “Canada rules the roost” when it comes to price increases, Porter concluded.

More Canadians growing wary about Internet privacy

Demonstrators hold placards supporting former US intelligence analyst Edward Snowden during a protest against government surveillance on October 26, 2013 in Washington, DC. AFP/Getty Images

Torstar News Service
Canadians are growing more wary about their privacy on the Internet, according to a new survey commissioned by the Centre for International Governance Innovation.

The poll, released Monday, found that nearly 70 per cent of Canadians are worried about hackers stealing their banking information or personal messages and photos. The same percentage of Canadians reported they’re concerned about private companies tracking their Internet usage and attempting to monetize their information.

More than half (52 per cent) reported that they’re concerned about government and law enforcement authorities monitoring their Internet activity.