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On 28 September 2002, Freedom of Information organizations from around the globe created a network of Freedom of Information Advocates (FOIA Network) and agreed to collaborate in promotion of the individual right of access to information and open, transparent governance. They established Sept.28th as international "right to know" day, with the aim of raising awarness about the importance of open government policies. EPIC/CIPPIC news release FOIA Network

CIPPIC has received a grant of $30,000 from the Beal Fund of the Triangle Community Foundation, for public interest research and analysis of digital copyright law reform issues. The Beal Fund is a philanthropic initiative of Bob Young, co-founder of Red Hat, a leading open-source software company, and current owner of the Canadian Football League's Hamilton Tiger Cats. This donation enables CIPPIC to work more closely and effectively with other public interest groups to ensure that Parliament hears all sides of these important issues, not just from select stakeholders. The grant is particularly timely given the recent introduction of Bill C-60, an omnibus copyright reform bill that dramatically increases the rights of copyright owners while doing little to address education and user interests. The Beal Fund grant has been matched by the Ontario Research Network for Electronic Commerce (ORNEC), which also provided start-up funding for CIPPIC.

Help us get a handle on the scope of the scourge in Canada! CIPPIC is calling on Canadians to send us your spyware horror stories! Here's what we need: - what is the name of the spyware program (if you know it)? - what website infected you (again, if you know where you got it)? - what does the spyware do to your computer? - what does your anti-spyware software report about the spyware? Send an email to cippic@uottawa.ca with "Stop Spyware" in the subject line, and your name, location and affiliation (if any) in the message. We won't disclose your personal information without your consent. We plan on using these stories to help us better inform the Canadian government on the scope of Canada's spyware, and in appropriate cases and with your permission, to file complaints with Canadian authorities. Want to know more? Check out our Spyware FAQ for more information and tips for protecting yourself in the future.

The Washington Post reports that 180Solutions, one of the world's most notorious adware distibutors, has sued 7 individuals - including a Toronto resident - for using botnets to install 180Solutions' pop-up ads. 180Solutions alleges that the defendants used botnets to install 180solutions' adware on thousands of Microsoft Windows PCs that they had infected with computer viruses. 180Solutions has been widely criticized for its failure to crackdown on distributors using illegal means of securing installs.