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MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A plan by Mexican lawmakers to put millions of cell phone users’ data in a biometric registry, billed as a tool to fight kidnapping and extortion, has sparked a backlash from telecoms companies and rights groups who warn it could lead to stolen data and higher costs.
A man takes photos in front of National Palace in Mexico City, Mexico, February 3, 2021. REUTERS/Edgard Garrido
Already approved in the lower house of Congress, the reform is in line with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s vow to counter crime using intelligence methods rather than force, but critics say it reveals the pitfalls of governments seeking to gather more citizen data for law enforcement purposes.
U.S. electric vehicle maker Tesla Inc said on Wednesday a hacking incident reported on Tuesday was restricted to a supplier's production site in Henan province, China, and its Shanghai car factory and showrooms were not affected.
Twitter on Wednesday said it was "deeply concerned by increased attempts to block and throttle online public conversation" after Russia said it was slowing down the speed of the platform for an alleged failure to remove banned content.
The United States called on Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to renounce its special and differential treatment in negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO), noting the G20 member was designated as a high-income country by the World Bank.
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(Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Digital tools launched in a Japanese smart city that can send disaster alerts to safeguard residents are part of an optional technology push aiming to overcome social and economic challenges, while also allaying privacy fears.
The smartphone alerts were introduced in Aizuwakamatsu city, Fukushima prefecture, last week by consultancy firm Accenture, which has worked with researchers to revitalise the city using technology since a devastating earthquake in 2011.
Aizuwakamatsu residents can choose to subscribe to the digital services - a markedly different approach to the mandatory initiatives in other smart cities that have been held back by data privacy and surveillance concerns, said Shojiro Nakamura, co-lead of Accenture Innovation Center Fukushima.