CBC’s Marketplace Cheat Sheet: Bank Gag Orders and AI-Free Newsletter

In a recent incident, Guanghu Cui of Oakville, Ont., found himself in a dilemma when his bank, TD, asked him to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) in order to receive compensation for a disputed $1.50 e-transfer fee. Cui, the owner of a small immigration consulting firm, was surprised by the requirement, as he had not done anything wrong. Feeling that it was unethical to be silenced in exchange for compensation, Cui refused to sign the NDA.

The use of NDAs, originally intended to protect trade secrets, has now become a common tool to silence individuals who have been wronged in various ways. After the involvement of Go Public, TD apologized to Cui and informed him that he no longer needed to sign the NDA. A spokesperson for the bank stated that the agreement was purely for documentation purposes and that Cui should not have been required to sign it in the first place.

Meanwhile, customers like Susan Dennison have been expressing frustration with the anti-theft measures implemented by major retailers. Dennison had a humiliating experience at a Fortinos grocery store when the wheels of her shopping cart locked, prompting an employee to demand to see her receipt. Many shoppers have raised similar complaints about measures such as wheel-locking carts, metal gates, and receipt checks, which they feel target honest customers rather than thieves.

As AI technology becomes more human-like, experts caution that users must critically evaluate the responses provided by AI systems. While the conversational abilities of AI have improved, there is a risk of receiving inaccurate or misleading information without transparency about how conclusions are reached. Users are advised to be vigilant and question the reliability of AI responses.