A welcome, and a caution
Welcome to the official blog for the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. With this tool, we hope to make the activities of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner more accessible to Canadians and to increase contact between the Office and Canadians interested about privacy issues and legislation.
As an Officer of Parliament, the Privacy Commissioner has a mandate to protect the privacy rights of individuals and promote the privacy protections available to Canadians.
While we are optimistic about the usefulness of this blog as a channel for communication on privacy issues, we ask for your patience and understanding as we find our footing online.
For instance, we know that there will be limitations to what we can accomplish with this blog. We will not be able to discuss complaints or investigations launched under either of our two Acts. If you wish to send us a complaint, we will continue to ask that you submit your complaint by mail.
While this blog has been created to help build links and stimulate discussion on privacy issues of interest to Canadians and other privacy stakeholders, it is not to be considered a source of authority on the interpretation of the Privacy Act or the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.
We also have to be clear that a hyperlink to a news article, an academic study or a blog post does not indicate endorsement of that opinion, statement or fact by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner or the Privacy Commissioner herself.
Other than that, we’re awfully hopeful about our new blog.
7 Responses
11:08 am
I just wanted to say that I think this blog is a great idea, and that I wish more of our government was this accessible!
11:23 am
This is a great idea – I’m thrilled to see governmental agencies opening up to the public!
Good posts so far too.
12:14 pm
Thanks a lot for opening this new channel of communication with Canadians. Keep up the great work and I have now subscribed to your blog.
9:05 pm
What an excellent initiative!
9:15 am
[...] The Office of the Privacy Commissioner has started blogging. [...]
10:52 am
Just read CBC news’ “Street View will comply with Canada’s privacy laws: Google” Congrats on the success in getting Google to comply with Canadian privacy law.
Ref: http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2007/09/25/tech-google-streetview.html
1:13 pm
Re: International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners
I would take this time and use this occasion to put forward some very valuable input on the impending discussion ondata protection at the International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners.
Having read Google’s Global Privacy Counsel’s ‘The Need for Global Privacy Standards,’ I am somewhat compelled to shared my views on the position taken by the writer on the need for minimal global standards.
Not surprising this call comes from an employee of a multi-million dollar internet service provider where relaxed data protection standards would typically act in this company’s favour.
However, this approach, I find, only serves to act strictly in the interest of this company and not in the interest of the consumer.
I cannot but emphasise the hidden danger of information being secretly processed to the unawares of the individual to whom it belongs.There appears to be a considerable drive by those in industry to push for the development of technologies to bring about the even more endless intrusion into a person’ personal privacy. However, the motivational factor (s) behind this move is unclear at this stage.
I do consider that it is anirreducible fact that relaxed data protection laws would act strictly in favour of industry and to the detriment of the consumer. Af Federal Judge once stated that privacy once lost can never be recaptured, and this comment holds true to this very day.
I am tempted to state that this technological push for for further encroachments of privacy by industry may be seen as back door communism.
I would encourage the participants at this conference to take a look at the deeply troubling trend and the extent to which personal privacy has slowly but surely been eroded over the years.
Information oftentimes do not have tools to keep up with the ways in which data is secretly shared electronically.
Furthermore, a data subject is faced with an insurmountable task of accessing personal information that is secretly processed, because there are required to provide evidence to such processing.
Decisions taken at the conference will affect the liberty and freedom of future generations, who I fear who be secrely monitored, watched and harassed
without just cause by the powerful within society, who themselves would never receive the same level of scrutiny.
Please note: there are some typing errors within this message I was unable to rectify. I was unable to save a copy of it as well, and would pelase ask that one be directed to the e-mail address provided.
Glen Carter
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