Digital Sovereignty Is More Than US Big Tech - TfD Weekly 22nd October 2026
Why digital sovereignty goes beyond US Big Tech, with Jeff Doctor on Oct 28. Plus MetCap makes The Globe and Mail, and a Brampton tech walk tonight.
Welcome to TfD Weekly
TfD Weekly is the newsletter of Technologists for Democracy (TfD), a Toronto-based civic tech organisation working at the intersection of technology, privacy, and democratic accountability. Each week we recap what's happening at Civic Tech Toronto, share updates on our campaigns, and keep an eye on legislation that affects Canadians' digital rights.
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Digital Sovereignty Webinar with Jeff Doctor
Our next webinar touches on a topic that's all over the news right now, Digital Sovereignty. While some of us might be familiar with how this plays into Canada's reliance on US Big Tech, that's just the tip of the iceberg.
Few people understand this topic better than our guest Jeff Doctor, who has spent the last decade supporting Indigenous sovereignty initiatives. In his role as Impact Strategist at Animikii Indigenous Technology, his expertise provides insight that many of us never knew we needed.
- How do we build a digital ecosystem that everyone consents to?
- How do Indigenous rights and practices inform which platforms we choose to opt into?
- What does Canada's reliance on US tech mean for those choices?
This free online session is for anyone who believes that tech can be better, and that we have a role in guiding it into more responsible territory. Join us online on Wednesday, October 28 at 6:30 PM ET.
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Civic Tech Toronto Recap
Topic: Measuring Main Streets: Data Tools for Transit-Oriented Communities
Speakers: Greg Spencer, urban and economic development researcher, and Luca Carnegie, Data Analyst at the Canadian Urban Institute
Planning around transit stations usually focuses on density, leaving out who already lives there and what's missing. Measuring Main Streets, from the Canadian Urban Institute, brings neighbourhood data on demographics, housing and amenities into one place, so communities can make the case for what they actually need.
They also showed a new walkability measure that uses computer vision and LLMs on Google Maps imagery to factor in shade and sidewalk condition, with plenty of human validation.
Civic Tech Toronto meets every Tuesday. Subscribe for future events
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MetCap Story Reaches The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail has picked up the MetCap story, where surveillance cameras could see inside tenant Javier Ruiz-Soler's apartment at 105 Isabella Street. Earlier this month, Canada's privacy watchdog found that MetCap was inappropriately collecting personal information from inside tenants' units.
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Technology Walk in Brampton Tonight
Civic Tech Brampton is hosting its first Technology Walk tonight, a guided walk to help people understand the technology around them, including surveillance. TfD's Aarushi and Gurpreet are leading the walk. Meet at 6 PM in front of 8 Queen Street East, below the giant screen in Garden Square, and bring walking shoes and a weatherproof jacket.
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Toronto Votes on October 26
Toronto's municipal election is this Monday, October 26, with polls open from 10 AM to 8 PM.
With Waymo planning to bring robotaxis to Toronto, it's worth knowing where the leading candidates stand. Mayor Olivia Chow has said self-driving cars "have to be held at the highest possible standards," adding, "It's just starting, but safety first." (Toronto Star) Brad Bradford has said he's not opposed, telling NOW Toronto he won't "shut the door on an interesting or novel idea just because we haven't done it before." (NOW Toronto)
Our position hasn't changed. We're all for innovation, but safety comes first, and technology has to put people first.
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Technologists for Democracy is a community of Canadians who work with technology towards better democracy for all. Learn more at techfordemocracy.ca