Toronto Electricians and Electrical Contractors

New Witness Panel Tells Congress How to Protect Consumer Data Privacy Yesterday’s Senate Commerce Committee hearing on consumer data privacy was a welcome improvement. The last time the Committee convened around this topic, all of the witnesses were industry and corporate representatives . This time, we were happy to see witnesses from consumer advocacy groups and the European Union, who argued for robust consumer privacy laws on this side of the Atlantic. The Dangers of Rolling Back State Privacy Protections Last time, the panel of industry witnesses (Amazon, Apple, AT&T, Charter, Google, and Twitter) all testified in favor of a federal law to preempt state data privacy laws, such as California’s new Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Today was different. Chairman Thune kicked off the hearing by reminding the Committee of the importance of hearing from independent stakeholders and experts. We were also glad to hear Chairman Thune say that industry self-regulation is not enough ...

Nowadays, most computers use a mouse that have 2 clicking buttons and a middle scroll wheel, unless you are a hardcore gamer. The differentiation of the middle actuator is clearly reflecting its function, which is to enable us to scroll down an internet page or a document. Similarly, on a machine control interface the choice of pushbuttons and switches are often linked to the ergonomics and the way the operator will be expected to use the machine. One of the simple choices is whether the actuating movement will be a rotation, with a selector switch, or a linear pressure, with the emblematic pushbutton.  So, what are some of the reasons to choose one or the other? 1.  Visibility of status: selector switches Even with your machine not powered, it is easy to see the status of your control interface with a glance when using a selector switch: the left / right angle of the selector is indeed much easier to identify that the pressed status of a latching pushbutton. 2.  ...

The Google+ Bug Is More About The Cover-Up Than The Crime Earlier this week, Google dropped a bombshell : in March, the company discovered a “bug” in its Google+ API that allowed third-party apps to access private data from its millions of users. The company confirmed that at least 500,000 people were “potentially affected.” Google’s mishandling of data was bad. But its mishandling of the aftermath was worse. Google should have told the public as soon as it knew something was wrong, giving users a chance to protect themselves and policymakers a chance to react. Instead, amidst a torrent of outrage over the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal, Google decided to hide its mistakes from the public for over half a year. What Happened? The story behind Google’s latest snafu bears a strong resemblance to the design flaw that allowed Cambridge Analytica to harvest millions of users’ private Facebook data. According to a Google blog post , an internal review discovered a bug in one ...

The idea behind electric motors is straightforward – supply electricity at one end and an axle or the metal rod rotate at the other end giving you the power to drive a machine. This traditional form of generating electricity has been transformed over a span of 200 years and is now an advanced technical breakthrough in the power generation and industrial automation sector. The manufacturing industry dominates today’s market and the industrial sphere. In this sector, a significant chunk of power is consumed to convert raw materials into finished goods. It is a necessary resource as over 50% of the work completed in today’s manufacturing plant is achieved by electric motors or the new age servo motors . As per a study conducted to understand the electricity consumption trends, it has been estimated that this percentage will continue to increase to sustain the production rate in the future. As the production and manufacturing sector immensely relies on electric motors, it is essential to...

A smart city is equipped to increase operational efficiency and the quality of welfare services provided by the government, through the application of information and communications technology. A smart city also provides for an intelligent, clean, and sustainable environment, while also offering a higher quality of life to citizens. Smart city development involves the application of solutions like electronic service mechanisms, real-time power and water monitoring, renewable sources of energy, smart building controls, and intelligent traffic management systems – among many others. Using this technology, the government can interact directly with both the residents and infrastructure of the city. However, various smart city challenges stand in the way of their development. Financial requirement: Smart city solutions require a lot of funding, which brings forth the question of who will provide this necessary investment. Data sharing : Most departments involved in city building general...

When Police Misuse Their Power to Control News Coverage, They Shouldn’t Be Allowed To Use Probable Cause As a Shield Against Claims of First Amendment Violations Journalists face increasingly hostile conditions covering public protests, presidential rallies, corruption, and police brutality in the course of work as watchdogs over government power. A case before the U.S. Supreme Court threatens press freedoms even further by potentially giving the government freer rein to arrest media people in retaliation for publishing stories or gathering news the government doesn’t like. EFF joined the National Press Photographers Association and 30 other media and nonprofit free speech organizations in urging the court to allow lawsuits by individuals who show they were arrested in retaliation for exercising their rights under the First Amendment—for example, in the case of the news media by newsgathering, interviewing protestors, recording events—even if the police had probable cause for the...