News Summary December 20th, 2025

This is your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, December 20th.   As we close out our final news summary of 2025, this week’s stories bring together a familiar set of themes: how access to information exposes public risk, how governments are reshaping decision-making behind closed doors, and how emerging technologies—from artificial intelligence to biometric surveillance—are testing the limits of privacy law around the world.  We’ll begin with national reporting shaped by access-to-information requests, then move through Local Journalism Initiative stories on accountability, spending, and environmental risk. From there, we turn to growing debates over Canadian AI data centres, before closing with international access-to-information battles and a condensed look at the Trump-era ripple effects across U.S. institutions.  A quick reminder: Bill C-4 is now at first reading in the Senate. It’s not too late to contact committee members or your Member of Parliament. We hope many of our listeners would agree—especially this time of year—political parties shouldn’t be allowed to put Canadians on secret naughty lists. Be sure to follow the show notes to let them know.  Show Notes: https://fipa.bc.ca/nm/20251220-access-and-privacy-online  Individual Stories: https://fipa.bc.ca/tag/2025-season-episode-51   FIPA Bill C-4  UPDATED Call to Action: https://fipa.bc.ca/bill-c-4-2025/  FIPA Bill C-4 Part 4 Dashboard: https://fipa.bc.ca/fipa-bill-c-4-part-4-dashboard/  Bill C-4 Part 4 line-by-line and brief: https://fipa.bc.ca/bill-c-4-part-4-line-by-line-and-brief/  Support these efforts by subscribing or donating.  Send comments to [email protected]  Our Contributors:  Writing: Shaun Fisk | Production: Patrick Farnsworth | Music: Breakmaster Cylinder   Access and Privacy Online: https://fipa.bc.ca/research-resources/podcasts/access-and-privacy-online/   News stories through the Canadian Press and Feedly.  Available through: PodBean, Apple iTunes,  YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM. ListenNotes,  Podchaser, Boomplay