The first full weekend of June is measuring up to be perfect for skygazers. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says June 6 and 7 will be a great time to catch the aurora borealis, better known as the Northern Lights, in certain parts of the United States. Alaska and Canada will have the best shot at seeing the colorful show in the sky on Friday night. On Saturday, even more Americans might be able to catch the northern lights in action. The NOAA says you might see the Northern Lights if you live in Washington, Montana, Idaho, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, or North Dakota. #Auroraborealis last night (June 2) from central Saskatchewan, Canada. #aurora #northernlights pic.twitter.com/BzGd265dla— Apophis (@RathrBStrmChsng) June 3, 2025 The Best Way To Watch The Northern Lights Is Away From The City The Northern Lights can be seen most brightly between the hours of 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. The colors are most vibrant and best viewed from a location void of pollution. So, if you can get away from the city and into the country in an area without many trees, you’ll have the best chance. The NOAA shared two maps of what to expect for the northern lights this weekend, along with an explanation. “The two maps show the aurora and viewline tonight and tomorrow night. The brightness and location of the aurora is typically shown as a green oval centered on Earth’s magnetic pole. The green ovals turn red when the aurora is forecast to be more intense.  Aurora can often be observed somewhere on Earth from just after sunset or just before sunrise. The aurora is not visible during daylight hours,” the NOAA explained. “The aurora does not need to be directly overhead but can be observed from as much as 1000 km away when the aurora is bright and if conditions are right.” If you’re up North, stay up late this weekend and take in Mother Nature’s special art show. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post The Northern Lights Will Be Visible In Parts Of The United States This Weekend appeared first on InspireMore.

Episode Description: This week, Arielle and Karissa explore the science behind sunshine guilt and share simple tips for reframing guilt with self-compassion. Then they chat about fridge-free tortillas helping vulnerable communities in Mexico. Plus, they highlight other forward-thinking solutions—from volcano-forecasting trees to coral-saving nanoparticle gels and National Park Cities. The Optimist Daily is a project of the World Business Academy. Donate link: https://www.optimistdaily.com/donate-to-support-the-optimist-daily/?gift=Y%20http:// Transcript: Theme music Arielle: Hello and welcome to The Optimist Daily’s Weekly Round-up. I’m Arielle. Karissa: And I’m Karissa, and we’re working hard to put solutions in view—and optimism in movement. Arielle: Hello, hello. We’re back with another episode of our pod to share the solutions from The Optimist Daily this week. How are you doing, Karissa? Karissa: Doing well… ish over here. Arielle: Oh—well ish? Karissa: It’s been a fine week, but I’ve just had a tiny bit of a cold going on. A summer cold is never fun—especially when it’s all bright and sunny outside. But other than that, it’s been a great start to June. Arielle: Mmm, I know. It’s crazy that it’s already halfway through the year, basically. Karissa: I know! Arielle: Well, I am doing okay over here. It’s been a bit gloomier, but that’s actually been good—for putting my head down and getting to work. I’m also volunteering at a few places, and one of them is a storytelling center, which is really fun. But it’s the source of my I’m an optimist, but… this week. Karissa: Ooh, okay—so tell me more about it! Arielle: It has nothing to do with the storytelling—that part is very wholesome. There’s just one dish that’s served besides the snacks, and it’s this really nice, healthy lentil soup made by one of the owners’ Iranian fathers. And it’s very, very filling. Karissa: Mhm. Arielle: So, when we send it out, it normally comes back like three-quarters of the way finished, and I just have to throw out the rest of the soup—and that makes me feel really bad. So, I’m an optimist, but food waste… it’s bringing me down a little bit. Karissa: Right. It is a huge problem across the world. Arielle: Yeah, I wish we had a very hygienic way of repackaging it—or giving everyone Tupperware, or having people bring their own, so they can take the food home. Karissa: Mhm. Well, it looks like there could be a solution there. Arielle: I picked a solution that’s kind of inspired by my I’m an optimist, but… but we’ll get to that later. Karissa: Yeah, I was kind of already alluding to feeling under the weather—and that’s my I’m an optimist, but… It just sucks, honestly, to feel unwell—especially when it’s so nice outside and you feel like you should be doing something but can’t, for one reason or another. And for me, it was because I was feeling very hot and feverish. So… Arielle: Yeah, better to stay inside. Karissa: Yeah. And I personally like hot weather—not too extreme, but… Arielle: Yeah, a nice hot summer day. Karissa: Yeah, you know, there are plenty of outdoor things I like to do. So not being able to do that this weekend was a bit of a bummer, because where I live, it was the first really hot weekend we’ve had so far. Arielle: Ah yeah. Sucks to miss out on that. Karissa: It brings me to my solution—which I didn’t even realize was a scientific thing! Arielle: (laughs) OK. Karissa: The title of my solution is Sunshine guilt is real—but you don’t have to feel bad about staying in. Arielle: Hmm. Karissa: What a timely article. Because yeah, if you’ve ever looked out your window on a bright, beautiful day and felt that pang of guilt for staying indoors—you’re definitely not alone. This uneasy feeling is now referred to as sunshine guilt, which has entered the modern lexicon, especially as social media floods us with snapshots of sunny highs and patio brunches. I know whenever I see someone post a good-looking brunch, I’m like, “I wish I did this this morning.” So… But I guess it begs the question: what is sunshine guilt, really? And should we be taking it so personally? Is it really that deep? We have a quote here from a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Dr. Douglas J. Opler says sunshine guilt refers to the regret people feel when they stay in on a sunny day rather than going outside and taking advantage of nice weather. Though it’s not a formally recognized psychological term, it’s something that many of us definitely experience. Arielle: OK, I have totally experienced this feeling before—and I know that so many people here in the Netherlands do. Because once it does get sunny and you have to get something done, there’s always this little pang of guilt that follows you through the whole day. And I talk about it with my friends—like, why do we feel so guilty about staying inside? Karissa: The roots of sunshine guilt are kind of complex. Dr. Philip J. Fizur, who is the lead psychologist at Cooper University Health Care, says if you’ve always told yourself that you value quality time in nature—and you pass up that opportunity because of work or streaming your favorite show—you might feel like that’s a transgression. We may also feel pressured by past expectations, like parents telling us to play outside. When I was younger, my parents would always say, “You need to get outside. You need to get out of your room,” on the weekends or something. A lot of times I liked to stay inside and play a video game or read a book as a kid. (laughs) Arielle: Hmm. Karissa: As Dr. Opler puts it, perhaps we see exercise, gardening, or outdoor recreation as personal goals to be achieved. Or—we follow influencers who make the outdoors look like paradise. Arielle: OK, I never actually really considered the influencer thing making the outdoors look even more appealing, but I guess that makes sense. There are so many valid reasons to keep us inside as well. I mean, I know that it is healthy to get outside when you can—but it does seem like every time there’s an exceptionally beautiful day, I… I do find myself packed with work tasks. Karissa: Yeah, exactly. Or just something you need to be doing inside. Things like health issues, work or caregiving responsibilities, plain old fatigue, or simply the joy of indoor hobbies like baking or reading can keep us inside. And sometimes, as Dr. Opler points out, we default to less intentional distractions as well. He says we may enjoy these activities, but in many cases people don’t fully want to do them—but we find ourselves doing them anyway, to a degree that seems to steal time. Arielle: Huh. OK, so is it bad to feel sunshine guilt? It seems like such a privilege to even have this feeling. Karissa: Yeah, exactly—that’s kind of my thought too. Even having the choice to, you know, stay inside and feeling guilty for doing that. But it’s definitely not a bad thing at all to have this feeling. Emotions happen, and it’s OK to acknowledge them. As Fizur says, many mental health providers today would suggest we should not judge emotions, no matter what they may be. To say we should not experience one emotion or another only complicates the problem. So, if you’re feeling sunshine guilt, the first step is to simply notice it without criticism. And you can also reframe the situation with self-compassion. As Fizur notes, if you’re choosing one value over another—like work, time alone, or comfort away from the heat—you are allowed to do that. And if you truly didn’t have a choice because of obligations, guilt serves no real purpose. But sometimes guilt can be useful—because as Dr. Opler says, if we examine our values and determine that we dovalue going out on a sunny day, then maybe the sunshine guilt we feel will help us do better next time. In this way, guilt can be a motivator and help us realign with what actually makes us feel good. Arielle: Do we have any tips to help put this guilt into action? Karissa: Yeah, Dr. Fizur offers a few helpful steps: Notice and name the feeling. Breathe into it to reduce its intensity. Unhook from guilty thoughts without judging them. Reconnect with the present moment—instead of dwelling on the guilt. Take a break from social media, where sunshine guilt often intensifies, of course. And just find simple ways to sneak in some outdoor time. If you’d like to spend more time outside but struggle to make it happen for one reason or another, Dr. Opler recommends using small sensory cues to build motivation. You could open a window and smell the breeze—even just that makes a little bit of a difference. Touch a gardening tool or grab your dog’s leash. These little nudges can definitely help you get back outside, if that’s what you want to do. Arielle: Yeah, and maybe even an extra incentive to get outside could also help. Karissa: Yeah, absolutely. Like if you make a plan to meet a friend outdoors or grab your favorite iced coffee after spending time outside, it can be a big help in really moving forward into nature. You know, even swapping a portion of your indoor workout for a quick walk around the block can count. For me personally, now that it’s a lot nicer outside, I’m trying to exercise a little bit more outdoors. Arielle: Mm-hmm. Karissa: And as Dr. Opler says, maybe life doesn’t allow us to spend three hours hiking or gardening every day. But we can think creatively about how to integrate these things. The bottom line here is that sunshine guilt is totally normal—and sometimes even helpful. But you definitely don’t have to beat yourself up over a cozy day indoors, even if it’s a beautiful, gorgeous day outside. Because whether you embrace the sunshine or take it slow, your well-being matters. Arielle: I really like this one. I can definitely apply it to my own life. Luckily, I do have a dog who forces me out. Karissa: Yeah. Arielle: Like, I joke that she doesn’t have a job, she doesn’t pay rent (laughs)—but she does have a job, and it’s to get me outside. At least for 15 minutes, twice a day minimum. Karissa: Yeah (laughs), and that I’m sure makes such a huge difference. Arielle: Thank you so much for sharing this. I hope our listeners also gleaned something valuable from it. The solution I chose today doesn’t really have to do with sunshine or anything… so I can’t segue! (laughs) It does have to do with my I’m an optimist, but… which was basically the inspiration that pushed me to choose this solution. The article is titled The tortilla that doesn’t need a fridge will help Mexico’s most vulnerable. Karissa: Interesting. Arielle: Yeah, and it takes place in a brightly lit lab at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, where something really exciting is happening. The article is all about the work of food scientist Raquel Gomez, who’s been watching tiny microbes and trying hard to solve a problem that’s both ancient and urgent: preserving tortillas without refrigeration. Yeah—for many rural families in Mexico, refrigeration is not a given. So Gomez and her team took on a challenge: could they design a tortilla that lasts and nourishes? Karissa: Oh, OK—so shelf-stable tortillas? Arielle: Yeah, exactly. Tortillas are a dietary cornerstone across Mexico, as many of us already know. But this version is wheat-based and fermented, meaning it can stay good for up to a month without any refrigeration. Karissa: Are there any preservatives involved to make these tortillas shelf-stable? Arielle: No—these tortillas actually rely on fermentation and healthy, beneficial microbes instead. Which is a big deal, especially when you consider that around 14 percent of kids under five in Mexico are chronically malnourished—and in Indigenous areas, that number jumps all the way up to 27 percent. Karissa: Wow. Arielle: Plus, with rising temperatures and spotty access to refrigerators—especially in southern states like Chiapas—food spoils fast. In places like Oxchuc, people still rely on traditional methods like salting, drying, or boiling leftovers to preserve food. Karissa: OK, so how do these new tortillas actually work then, if they don’t use preservatives? Arielle: Yeah—good question. So, they use prebiotics and probiotics—the same kinds of live microorganisms you find in yogurt. Prebiotics from high-fiber foods feed the probiotics, which in turn help protect the tortilla and your gut. Karissa: Oh, OK. Well, that’s great that they don’t use artificial preservatives, because some additives—like calcium propionate—can disrupt your gut and microbiota. Arielle: Yeah, that’s true. Researcher Guillermo Arteaga from the University of Sonora raised concerns about that. Instead, this method focuses on maintaining microbial balance in the food and in the human body. Karissa: Well—and it also sounds like this could go even further. Could this approach be adapted to corn tortillas as well? Arielle: That’s the idea. Corn is Mexico’s most culturally significant staple, but it spoils quickly in the heat. Gomez believes this fermentation model could work there too. Karissa: Well, has it hit the market quite yet? Arielle: Not quite. The tortilla was patented in 2023, and a marketing deal was even signed—but it didn’t pan out. Still, Gomez is hopeful. As she put it, “Even though they were developed in a laboratory, I’m confident people will want to eat them.” Karissa: I mean, yeah. When science can give us a fridge-free tortilla packed with probiotics and no preservatives—that’s adaptation that meets vulnerable communities where they’re at. Arielle: Yes, precisely. This isn’t just about extending shelf life—it’s about resilience and rethinking food preservation in a warming world. And I just love that this solution hits a bunch of different areas: nutrition, food insecurity, and even energy—because there’s no need for a fridge. Karissa: Yeah—good points. Arielle: There were so many really cool, science-forward articles this week, though. I had a tough time picking between this one and the one about the warning signs that trees give before a volcano is about to erupt. So yeah—just a little extra plug for that one for readers who might be interested. Karissa: Mm-hmm. Arielle: This made me realize how much I appreciate my fridge. Karissa: Absolutely. Arielle: As I mentioned before, we do have a lot of really cool stories on The Optimist Daily this week, and they include— Karissa: We have A new way to stack bricks could help clean Bangladesh’s air, A jelly with a scent of hope: how a nanoparticle gel could help save coral reefs, How to actually feel more positive (without faking it)—we’re huge on that one— and Italy extends legal recognition to same-sex mothers in major court ruling. What else do we have? Arielle: We also have Breda becomes EU’s first National Park City, setting a hopeful path for greener urban living—that’s just a 40-minute train ride away, I mean… maybe I should check it out! Karissa: Yeah, do it! Arielle: And What trees can teach us about volcanoes: a new view from space, The fungi on your face might be brewing the next great antibiotic, and Why your antiperspirant isn’t working (and how to fix it). Karissa: Awesome. Well, lots of great solutions on The Optimist Daily this week—but if you want to start your day off right next week, be sure to subscribe to our free daily newsletter and you’ll get all these solutions straight to your inbox at the start of every day. Arielle: And if you prefer social media—if that’s how you’re getting your news these days—you can find us @optimistdaily on basically all of the platforms. We’re even on Pinterest. We’re different on X—on X, we are @ODEtoOptimism. Karissa: And we are just a very small team of optimists, working really hard to put positive news out into the world. So if you want to support our mission, just click on the link in the show notes and find out how. Arielle: And a reminder that if money is tight, support doesn’t always have to be financial. You could just recommend our podcast to a friend, tell someone about a cool story you read from us or heard from us, or leave a positive review if you feel like it. Five stars are always appreciated. Karissa: As always, Arielle, it was great to be here with you today and put a little positivity out into the world. Arielle: Yeah! I hope that your sunshine guilt doesn’t get you down more than it has to, and that you feel better and can get out this weekend. Karissa: Yeah—I think I’m going to use that sunshine guilt and really propel my weekend to be outside-facing. It’ll be great. Arielle: Until next week. Karissa: Bye everyone. Arielle: Bye!The post Podcast Transcript June 6, 2025: Fridge-Free Tortillas, Sunshine Guilt, and Science-Backed Self-Compassion first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

'Exactly what he promised'

Welp ... the ending that none of us wanted happened

'Totally violated its agreement with us'

EXCLUSIVE: White House Sources Say Elon's NASA Pick Was Doomed From The Start

Republicans are surging, and Democrats are in deep trouble. That’s what a new report from The New York Times concluded after assessing polling data from the past four presidential elections.  The new study concluded that the GOP was gaining ground in working-class counties, while Democrats were earning support increasingly in the best-educated enclaves of the U.S. Donald Trump “has increased the Republican Party’s share of the presidential vote in each election he’s been on the ballot in close to half the counties in America—1,433 in all,” the report concluded.  Democrats managed to expand their vote share continuously during the Trump election years in just 57 counties out of the country’s more than 3,100 political subdivisions. Some 435 counties were more Democratic in 2024 compared to 2012, while an astounding 2,678 counties became more Republican during that time period.  The Times dubbed those counties that went further Republican or Democrat during the Trump presidential election years of 2016, 2020, and 2024 elections as “triple-trending.” For Democrat triple-trending counties, that meant counties where 8.1 million Americans of voting age live, but for the GOP’s triple-trending counties that meant a whopping 42.7 million voting-age people.  Democrats had disproportionate gains among wealthier households. Eighteen of the 57 counties that moved steadily to Democrats had a median household income exceeding $100,000. Only three of the 1,433 counties that moved toward Trump had incomes of over $100,000. The median U.S. income sits at about $80,000, which means the Democratic Party is increasingly skewing wealthier than the majority of Americans. The Times found that areas with incomes below the U.S. median “account for 95 percent of counties voting steadily more Republican.” Republicans and Democrats are also deeply divided in terms of educational attainment. Trump did not increase his voter share continuously over the course of his three presidential races in any county that had a majority of adults with a college degree. Likewise in the counties that went steadily blue all had a percentage of college-educated adults at 20% or larger.  Republicans are also having a surge in support from Hispanic voters in the South. The president saw an astounding 89% swing in 2024 from 2012 in Starr County, a Texas county that borders Mexico and includes Rio Grande City. That county has a voting-age population that is 96% Hispanic. Meanwhile, Democrats gained support in the counties surrounding Dallas. Former Texas congressman and Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke sounded the alarm in an interview with The New York Times for the report.  “This may sound crazy to you: Maybe this had to happen for the Democratic Party to wake up and stop taking people for granted based on the color of their skin, or their country of national origin, or where they live in the state,” O’Rourke opined.  Up north, things were not much better for the liberal party. The only New York county to continuously move further into the Democrats’ camp was also home to the uber-left city of Ithaca, known for being the home of Cornell University and Ithaca College, and according to The Times, it’s a place where almost 60% of residents have a college degree. Trump, on the other hand, showed consistent gains in previously unlikely places: the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn. Those areas also are some of the most ethnically diverse in the U.S. The post NYT Study Finds Widespread GOP Gains, Sounding Alarm for Dems appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, an illegal alien removed from the U.S. to his native El Salvador earlier this year, has been brought back to the U.S. following legal challenges to his deportation.   But the Trump administration is welcoming Abrego Garcia back from a Salvadoran prison to the U.S. with an indictment from the Justice Department charging him with human trafficking.   Abrego Garcia, 29, has been charged with unlawful transportation of illegal aliens and conspiracy to illegally transport illegal immigrants for money, according to the indictment obtained by Fox News. The outlet reports that minors are alleged to be among those Abrego Garcia trafficked. The indictment, filed under seal last month, includes two felony counts.  The illegal alien’s return follows a court order that the Trump administration “facilitate” bringing him back to the U.S.  “For the past two months, the media and Democrats have burned to the ground any last shred of credibility they had left by glorifying Kilmar Abrego Garcia—a known MS-13 gang member, human trafficker, and serial domestic abuser,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on X on Friday.   “Today, the United States of America confronts Kilmar Abrego Garcia with overwhelming evidence. He is being indicted by a grand jury for human smuggling, including children, and conspiracy,” Noem said.  For the past two months, the media and Democrats have burnt to the ground any last shred of credibility they had left by glorifying Kilmar Abrego Garcia— a known MS-13 gang member, human trafficker, and serial domestic abuser.Today, the United States of America confronts Kilmar…— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) June 6, 2025 Citing a report from the Prince George’s County, Maryland, Police Gang Unit, a 2019 DHS form states that “Abrego Garcia was validated as a member of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) Gang.”    This spring, the Tennessee Highway Patrol released body camera footage of its November 2022 traffic stop of Abrego Garcia, in which he is suspected of human smuggling.    It was dark outside when the state trooper pulled Abrego Garcia over and walked up to his vehicle. The officer’s flashlight revealed eight additional men crammed into the vehicle.    The troopers discuss the likelihood that they are witnessing a human smuggling operation and point out that there is no luggage in the car, despite the fact that Abrego Garcia said all the men were traveling through multiple states, supposedly for construction work.   Police and court records also reveal that Jennifer Vasquez Sura, Abrego Garcia’s wife, twice filed charges that her husband engaged in domestic violence against her. Despite the claims against Abrego Garcia, the illegal alien became somewhat of a rallying cry for Democrats in their efforts to oppose President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts.   Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., traveled to El Salvador and met with the deported illegal alien in April. The senator said the goal of his trip was to “let the Trump administration, to let the government of El Salvador, know that we are going to keep fighting to bring Abrego Garcia home until he returns to his family.”   Democrat Reps. Yassamin Ansari of Arizona, Maxine Dexter of Oregon, Maxwell Frost of Florida, and Robert Garcia of California traveled to El Salvador shortly after Van Hollen, also to visit Abrego Garcia.   Van Hollen celebrated the news of Abrego Garcia’s return on Friday, writing on X, “After months of ignoring our Constitution, it seems the Trump admin has relented to our demands for compliance with court orders and due process for Kilmar Abrego Garcia. This has never been about the man—it’s about his constitutional rights & the rights of all.”   After months of ignoring our Constitution, it seems the Trump Admin has relented to our demands for compliance with court orders and due process for Kilmar Abrego Garcia.This has never been about the man—it’s about his constitutional rights & the rights of all.Full statement: pic.twitter.com/q28RLNEj2S— Senator Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) June 6, 2025 The post Illegal Alien Deported to Salvadoran Prison Brought Back to US to Face Human Trafficking Charges appeared first on The Daily Signal.

In recent years, a trip to a Target department store on June 1 was the only reminder needed that the month is dedicated to celebrating “gay pride,” but not so this year.   Instead of a prominent display of chest binders and swimsuits designed for “tucking” private parts, as seen at Target in the summer of 2023, the major U.S. retailer is celebrating “Coastal Classics” with red, white, and blue-themed clothing this summer.   .@Target PRIDE collection is a clear indication of a cultural shift in America… we went from tucking bathing suit to USA costal classics! What a SHIFT! American Pride > pic.twitter.com/izpIyxnqpJ— MORGONN (@morgonnm) June 2, 2025 The shift comes just months after Target announced it was ending some of its DEI initiatives, and it follows several years of declining revenues for the retailer.   While Target appears to have gotten the memo that Americans want a more traditional—and less woke—agenda, Hollywood will always be the last to learn.   The HBO series “The Last of Us,” ended its first season with 8.2 million views in February 2023, according to The Hollywood Reporter. But the show’s second season ended with half as many viewers. Why? It might have something to do with the show’s denial of reality.   The show received criticism when one of the characters, who is a lesbian, learns that her partner is pregnant from a previous relationship and responds: “I’m going to be a dad.”   The season finale drew 3.7 million viewers, down from 5.3 million when the season premiered in April.   On this week’s edition of “Problematic Women” we discuss why these incidents and others like them point to a shift away from the radical woke ideology toward a desire for traditional values in America.   Also on today’s show, we respond to the news that Biden administration press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre is leaving the Democratic Party and becoming an independent. Plus, the fight to protect life is far from over, a reality made evident by Planned Parenthood’s latest abortion numbers.   Catch it all and more on “Problematic Women.”  The post In the Swim of Things, Is America Ditching LGBTQ for Traditional?   appeared first on The Daily Signal.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Canada’s new Strong Border Act tabled as Bill C-2, is being framed by the federal government as a step toward strengthening border security. But hidden within its lengthy legislative text is a familiar and troubling push for expanded surveillance powers, this time without the need for court authorization. Nestled deep in the bill are provisions that grant law enforcement sweeping new authority to demand subscriber data from service providers, bypassing the oversight mechanisms long seen as essential to protecting Canadians’ privacy. The bill revives the “lawful access” agenda, one that law enforcement agencies have been pursuing since the late 1990s. These digital access provisions are not new, but their inclusion in a border-focused bill appears to be a calculated effort to quietly reintroduce them under a different guise. Despite being repeatedly rebuffed by public opposition, parliamentary committees, and Canada’s highest court, the drive to erode digital privacy protections continues. This legislative maneuver follows years of setbacks for warrantless access advocates. In 2014, the Supreme Court ruled decisively in R. v. Spencer that Canadians have a legitimate expectation of privacy when it comes to subscriber information. The Court stressed that identifying individuals based on their Internet activity could easily expose sensitive personal behavior and that police demands for such information constituted a search requiring proper legal authorization. According to Michael Geist, a law professor at the University of Ottawa, law enforcement has continued to seek ways around those constraints. Past efforts to legislate access without judicial oversight have either failed to pass or been dropped due to public backlash. A 2010 bill mandating the disclosure of customer details, including IP addresses and device identifiers, without a warrant was abandoned. In 2014, a new bill was introduced, ostensibly to tackle “cyberbullying.” In practice, it reintroduced many of the same provisions that had been defeated under earlier proposals. While dressed in the language of protecting youth online, its underlying purpose was once again to broaden law enforcement access to digital subscriber data with limited oversight. The Supreme Court’s Spencer ruling remained a major obstacle, reaffirming the privacy rights of Canadians. Then, in 2023, the Bykovets decision extended those protections further, affirming that IP addresses also warrant constitutional safeguards. The Court noted that if digital privacy is to mean anything in the modern age, then these basic digital identifiers must be protected under Section 8 of the Charter. Despite this legal precedent, Bill C-2 is attempting to carve out a new space for surveillance. Among its more concerning features is a clause that would allow authorities to issue “information demands” to service providers without needing judicial approval. These demands would compel companies to confirm whether they provide services to specific users, whether they hold transmission data related to those accounts, and where the services are or were provided, both inside and outside Canada. The threshold for triggering such a demand is alarmingly low. Law enforcement must merely suspect that a crime has occurred or may occur and that the requested information could aid an investigation. The demand doesn’t require disclosing the actual data, but it functions as a roadmap to it, alerting police to which providers hold what kind of information and where it might be found. Such indirect searches effectively sidestep the very privacy protections the courts have upheld. Notably, none of these measures relate directly to border enforcement. Their presence in a border bill serves a strategic purpose: to avoid the scrutiny that such provisions would attract if introduced through standalone legislation. This tactic, often seen in omnibus bills or unrelated amendments, allows controversial policies to advance quietly under the cover of more palatable reforms. Professor Geist has a full in-depth look at the history of such laws here. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Canada’s New Border Law Hides a Surveillance Time Bomb appeared first on Reclaim The Net.