Privacy vs. Safety: Is Canada Ready for the Textalyzer?
A controversial technology called the Textalyzer could help combat Canada’s distracted driving problem — but it also raises serious privacy concerns.
The Textalyzer, which was created by the Israeli company Cellebrite, could be plugged into a phone to determine whether a driver was texting, making non-hands-free calls, or engaging in any other prohibited activity while driving.
The name of the device stems from the Breathalyzer, which allows police to get a quick reading of a driver’s blood alcohol content. If police got clearance to use Textalyzer technology, they could use it at the scene on drivers they pull over for distracted driving or on motorists involved in a crash.
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Toronto road safety activist Patrick Brown, of the Coalition for Vulnerable Road User Laws, tells CBC that the Textalyzer would be a crucial weapon for Ontario police in the battle against distracted driving fatalities.
Ann Cavoukian, who runs the Global Privacy and Security for Design Centre, warns that the Textalyzer could easily be used to access drivers’ personal information. Police already use other Cellebrite technologies to break into devices in criminal cases. If the Textalyzer is adopted in Canada, she recommends independent auditing to ensure privacy protections for drivers.
In the U.S., New York, Nevada, and the city of Chicago have also considered using the Textalyzer, but nothing has come of these efforts so far — mainly due to privacy concerns. In Ontario, government officials have so far been noncommittal on studying or adopting the technology, saying that doing so would require serious study and evaluation.
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News Source: CBC
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