Nine great industry news stories from this week you may have missed.

Privacy and Morality: Data’s Double-Edged Sword

Via Security Boulevard

Concerns about the ethics behind data collection and use have become a hot topic over the past few weeks. In an open letter from their CEO, IBM has declared they will no longer be using or researching facial recognition technology for mass surveillance, racial profiling, violations of human rights and freedoms, or any purpose which is not consistent with their values. Their stance behind moral data tracking, however, isn't as black and white as it may appear. In a recent Security Boulevard's article, Mark Rasch explores the notion of "mass surveillance" and questions the validity of privacy in public places and whether we can achieve "ethics by design."

Nine great industry news stories from this week you may have missed.

Supreme Court chief justice says he's 'optimistic' about launch of virtual hearings

Via CBC

According to CBC, Chief Justice Richard Wagner is feeling optimistic about Tuesday’s launch of virtual hearings at the Supreme Court of Canada. He reportedly told the news network, “Although this pandemic was terrible, and is still terrible for every Canadian, we have to see some positive aspect to it and … one positive aspect to it is the chance, or the opportunity, to use more technology for the justice system in Canada.” Furthermore, he added that there is “no plan B” and the virtual meeting must work going forward. The Supreme Court hearings will take place through Zoom and will be live-streamed on the court’s website — a first in the Supreme Court’s history. Read the full story here.

Nine great industry news stories from this week you may have missed.

How COVID-19 helped push Ontario's low-tech justice system into the 21st century

Via CBC

Early yesterday morning CBC reported Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey was announcing sweeping new technological changes to the province's justice system. Ontario's courts, which are set to reopen on July 6th, will be fitted with Plexiglas barriers, physical distancing markers and hand-sanitizing stations. Downey stated about 300 Ontario courtrooms have already been outfitted to hold virtual trials, where a judge would be in the room and lawyers and witnesses could join in remotely. Currently, Ontario's courts still rely primarily on paper records and fax machines to share information, but, according to Downey, in the coming months court files will be digitized. Learn the full details of the changes to come on CBC.

Nine great industry news stories from this week you may have missed.

Tidy up your company’s data Marie Kondo-style

Via Harvard Business Review

Organizing “stuff” has always been a challenge which may explain why Marie Kondo has become a household name in the art of cleaning up and organizing one’s personal effects. Over the years, most large enterprises have accumulated several petabytes of dark data — web logs, old emails and out-of-date customer profiles all collected in the regular course of business that will probably never be used again — with each petabyte being equivalent to 20 million completely filled four-drawer filing cabinets. 

Does the data you keep "spark joy"? Learn how to apply Marie Kondo's principles to your company's database in Harvard Business Review's recent article. 

Nine great industry news stories from this week you may have missed.

Facebook fined $9 million over Canadian privacy concerns Social Sharing

Via CBC

Facebook has been ordered to pay a $9-million penalty after making "false or misleading claims about the privacy of Canadians' personal information," according to a news release from the Competition Bureau. Based on a investigation into the social media company's practices between 2012 and 2018, the Bureau said they found Facebook falsely represented how much information users could control — including the personal information of users' friends who had installed "certain third-party applications." Read all the details of the breaking story on CBC.

Nine great industry news stories from this week you may have missed.

Lockdown accelerates push into digital workflows for professional services

Via Financial Times

China and Singapore are leading the way by adopting digital workflows in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The lockdown, combined with urgent business requirements following the coronavirus outbreak, led Chinese regulators to relax requirements for processes such as opening a bank account. Now, facial recognition, biometric technology and eSignatures are allowing business to resume transactions which traditionally required in-person appointments and paper signatures. Learn how digital workflows are helping industries from finance to the courts in the Financial Times' recent article. 

Nine great industry news stories from this week you may have missed.

Choosing Remote Working Technology For Your Law Firm In 2020: A How-To Guide

Via Above the Law

While working remotely over the past month, you've likely come across some of your firm's technology deficiencies. If you're considering investing in new software and hardware, be sure to take a look at the 2020 Solo and Small Firm Legal Technology Guide. Published and updated annually by the American Bar Association, it includes top remote working recommendations, the latest in cloud computing and collaboration software as well as time and billing apps. Because most lawyers are working remotely and courts are closed (except for essential matters),  Above the Law reports that this year's edition deems scanners as a "must have." To read their full summary, click here. 

Nine great industry news stories from this week you may have missed.

How will courts function after COVID-19?

Via Canadian Lawyer

Since the shutdown of Ontario courts, the criminal justice system has been dealing with only urgent bail hearings and guilty plea proceedings. Emergency procedures are set to expire at the end of May, however some argue that we should not be returning to the "archaic and outdated business model" that was the norm in the justice system prior to COVID-19. In his recent article in Canadian Lawyer, Michael Spratt presents his ideas on why eliminating paper, permitting remote appearances and becoming less reliant on jails could be the key to giving our courts a much-needed reconfiguration. 

Nine great industry news stories from this week you may have missed.

How lawyers are choosing tech tools in the COVID-19 era

Via  Law Times

From Zoom to DocuSign, lawyers are on the search for innovative tools that will maximize the efficiency of their new work-from-home setup. According to Law Times, the Ontario Bar Association's recent law practice management meeting generated so much excitement about the available legal tech tools, the team decided to launch a two-part series. The first session will focus on "Virtual verification of client identity: What tools are you using?" and the second will cover "What digital programs are people currently using?" Learn the full story, plus details on how some Ontario lawyers are perceiving the mainstream tools, here.