A great deal of consternation and confusion recently arose thanks to the language in a new piece of legislation introduced in the Senate on 29 March 2022. Bill S-7, which amends s. 99(1)(a) of the Customs Act, is intended to remedy a deficiency in that legislation which, until now, has had no specific criteria for searching personal digital devices. Indeed, the Customs … [Read more...] about Personal Digital Devices at the Border
Privacy
Google can now remove search results that dox you without second-guessing intent
For many years, people have been able to request the removal of certain sensitive, personally identifiable information from Search, such as bank account and credit card numbers useful for committing financial fraud, and other information that could facilitate someone stealing your identity. Under Google's newly expanded policy, people can now request the removal of … [Read more...] about Google can now remove search results that dox you without second-guessing intent
Elections: Political parties gathering and using information about voters
With Ontario elections taking place on June 2, some voters may question how provincial political parties use personal information. They may also wonder what federal parties have done with data that voters gave canvassers in the national election, held in September of 2021. In Ontario, the Privacy Commissioner has no jurisdiction over provincial political parties' … [Read more...] about Elections: Political parties gathering and using information about voters
Encryption HRIA
Signaling a major shift in the way Meta approaches users' privacy, the company recently announced plans to make all of its messaging services — WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram DMs — end-to-end encrypted (E2EE). As part of its initiative, Meta commissioned a human rights impact assessment (HRIA), which concluded that, "Meta’s planned expansion of strong … [Read more...] about Encryption HRIA
E-evidence regulation: Why it matters for medical confidentiality?
Electronic data has become a defining component of criminal investigations. Emails, data stored “in the cloud”, private messages – investigators increasingly seek such data, often held by private companies, as evidence for their criminal cases. This can also encompass health data. Under current legal rules, when such data is stored abroad, national law enforcement authorities … [Read more...] about E-evidence regulation: Why it matters for medical confidentiality?
Projecting our values into laws
The Privacy Commissioner of Canada’s most recent annual report was tabled in Parliament on December 8, 2001. The report, titled Projecting our values into laws: Laying the foundation for responsible innovation, will be Daniel Therrien’s last annual report as Privacy Commissioner of Canada. The report calls on government to make privacy law reform a priority, and reiterates … [Read more...] about Projecting our values into laws
