Blog de la OIPC

A follow-up report has found the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) has taken meaningful steps to incorporate recommendations aimed at strengthening the privacy and security of the Provincial Public Health Information System (System), following the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner’s (OIPC) December 2022 report that found the PHSA’s failure to address security and privacy vulnerabilities put British Columbians at risk.

Commissioner McEvoy presents the 2022-23 OIPC Annual Report. Read on to watch a welcome video from the Commissioner on the report.

On March 9, 2023, the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia (OIPC) hosted the OIPC Youth Forum. A group of high school students from across British Columbia joined experts from the OIPC, the BC Civil Liberties Association, MediaSmarts, and special guest speaker, Cambridge Analytica whistleblower and social researcher Christopher Wylie, for a wide-ranging discussion on the privacy issues that impact students most.

The investigation looked at a number of issues, including: whether consent to FRT was properly obtained from individuals, whether those visitors were properly notified about how their images would be collected and used, and, whether the broad use of FRT was reasonable in the circumstances.

A preliminary review of the impact of BC’s application fee for freedom of information requests reveals limited payment options, a lack of criteria among public bodies for not charging or for refunding the fee when fairness warrants, and mixed findings about the initial impact on applicants.

The Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) has failed to address security and privacy vulnerabilities in BC’s Provincial Public Health Information System (the System) — putting the personal health information of British Columbians at risk.

An investigation report released by Information and Privacy Commissioner Michael McEvoy says the security and privacy vulnerabilities have been known to the PHSA since 2019.

Commissioner McEvoy presents the 2021-22 OIPC Annual Report. Read on to watch a welcome video from the Commissioner on the report.

Information and Privacy Commissioner Michael McEvoy announced the launch of the OIPC Young Scholars Project today, on the International Day of Education.

The OIPC continues to provide service to the public, public bodies, and private sector. To protect the health of our employees and to do our part to slow community transmission of the COVID-19 virus, most OIPC staff have now transitioned to working remotely. This will mean that, for the time being, our Office will not receive in person visits from those we serve.

We will post updates on our website and social media channels as the situation continues to unfold.

Getting #PrivacyRight means respecting the trust that individuals place in organizations that collect, use or disclose their personal information. People should be confident that businesses will collect their personal information appropriately and in a straightforward manner and, where needed, only after they have provided meaningful consent.

This month, learn about the authority to collect, use, and disclose personal information. Explore our latest online tools, including a video, a webinar, a podcast, and one of our key guidance documents. Whether you’re an organization that collects, uses, and discloses personal information or a customer who is wondering what happens to your information, this month’s releases have the answers you need.

This month, learn about accountability and the benefits of implementing a privacy management program. We have several online tools for you to explore, including two webinars (each with printer-friendly notes), a video, and podcast. Dig a little deeper with our related guidance documents, then take our privacy assessment challenge.

The secret’s out… privacy is good business. And to help you and your organization get on board, we are launching PrivacyRight, a series of educational tools for BC organizations that will help you understand your obligations under the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).

You probably noticed a flurry of emails in your inbox over the past few weeks, as everything from social media apps to your email provider to your fridge rush to send you privacy policy updates. Why now, you ask? Well, it has to do with a new privacy law called the GDPR.

I am as surprised as anyone that email retention and deletion by government staff is again making news. These matters have been thoroughly canvassed in numerous reports by my office, by government and in government’s own retention schedules and policies. They also emphasize the need for independent oversight of record management including the duty to document.

This year, as the Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities (APPA) mark Privacy Awareness Week, there couldn’t be a more important time to talk about the need to protect personal information. I spoke about this very topic last week to a gathering of small business owners, communications professionals, and government employees.

How many times a day are you asked for your email, telephone number, postal code, or birth date? Probably more than you might realize. Think about when you go to the grocery store, the pharmacy, or to a clothing or electronics store. Many retailers ask for your email to connect purchase history with future promotional offers to better tailor potential discounts with your spending habits. But is this legal? Well, it all comes down to the purpose for which the information was collected.

Let’s face it – protecting data in our digital society isn’t easy. Devices intended to improve our lives also collect an astounding amount of information about you, your family, and friends. Voice assistant technology, connected devices, and apps that give you remote access to your home sound pretty convenient. But before you unlock your front door with your phone, think about this: in 2016, 2.2 billion data records were compromised and vulnerabilities were uncovered in products and services, such as baby monitors and door locks. Yikes!

Last week we released a tip sheet for public bodies managing requests for records, in conjunction with our audit report examining the access to information policies and procedures of WorkSafeBC.

Are you tempted by the potential benefits of cloud-computing? The option can be appealing, as the service often cuts costs and removes obstacles for users looking to reduce IT infrastructure and maintenance. Before you reach for the clouds, make sure you know the legal requirements that apply when processing and storing personal information outside of Canada.

I recently spoke about the Internet of Things and Big Data at a healthcare summit in Vancouver. Well, let’s be honest and call it what it really is - the Internet of Everything. From the rubber ducky in your child’s bathtub to your smart tea kettle, the array of connected devices on the market today seems almost limitless.

Updated guidance is now available to physicians on privacy and security of patient records

A few weeks ago, my office and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC-Canada) co-hosted the 48th Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities (APPA) Forum in Vancouver. From November 15-17, APPA officials from 14 member jurisdictions and invited guests shared insights and perspectives, discussed global privacy trends, exchanged experiences, and looked for opportunities for joint regulatory guidance and enforcement activities across the Asia Pacific Region.

From September 25 to October 2 we are celebrating Right to Know week to raise awareness of our right to access government records, essential to democracy and good governance.

The use of dash-cams by private sector organizations is, from any practical perspective, likely unlawful in BC.

I was invited to speak to this group because Selkirk College has been awarded a three-year federal grant to explore open data and open government in rural B.C. The organizers asked me to share my views about open data, including where datasets should be published, and what data should be considered sensitive and private.

Hoy comienza nuestra celebración de la Semana del Derecho a Saber, dedicada al fomento de la libertad de información en todo el mundo. Originado en Bulgaria en 2002, el movimiento por el derecho a saber es celebrado por unos 40 países y 60 organizaciones no gubernamentales el 28 de septiembre de cada año.

B.C.’s Personal Information Protection Act (“PIPA”) sets out how the province’s 380,000-plus private-sector “organizations” can collect, use, and disclose personal information. Personal information held by a federally regulated organization, such as a bank or telephone company; however, is protected by the federal Personal Information and Electronic Document Act, or “PIPEDA”.

This post is the first in a series of essays from students in Political Science 370, The Politics of Surveillance, a University of Victoria course taught by Dr. Colin Bennett. By sharing these posts on its blog, the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner hopes to facilitate discussions about privacy and access issues. The views expressed, of course, are those of the authors.

Cada año, a principios de mayo, los profesionales de la privacidad de todo el mundo celebran la Semana de Concienciación sobre la Privacidad (PAW). La iniciativa, que celebra ahora su 10º aniversario, fue puesta en marcha por las Autoridades de Privacidad de Asia y el Pacífico (APPA) en 2006 para promover y concienciar sobre numerosos temas relacionados con la privacidad y la importancia de proteger la información.

Son como tener un entrenador personal a un precio muy inferior. Pero los resultados de un estudio realizado por investigadores de la Universidad de Toronto revelan que las pulseras de fitness, los populares dispositivos portátiles que registran nuestros pasos, calorías, sueño y otros datos, también pueden estar rastreándonos a nosotros.

Todos lo hemos experimentado: un correo electrónico sospechoso, una llamada molesta o una oferta demasiado buena para ser cierta. Desde estafas piramidales a spammers y estafadores, los canadienses pierden millones de dólares cada año a causa del fraude electrónico.

En nuestra compleja era digital, las tensiones entre las fuerzas del orden y las empresas tecnológicas siguen intensificándose. No subestimo los retos que plantea el terrorismo internacional, sobre todo tras los recientes atentados en todo el mundo. Pero me pregunto: ¿cuál es el control y la supervisión adecuados de las actividades de vigilancia de las agencias de seguridad nacional y de aplicación de la ley?

Por Martin Abrams En diciembre de 2015, el Supervisor Europeo de Protección de Datos, Giovanni Buttarelli, emitió un dictamen en el que sugería la necesidad de reinventar la protección de datos para la era de los macrodatos, no para comprometer los principios, sino para garantizar que los macrodatos se utilicen al servicio de las personas.

From dog licences and parking tickets to property taxes and building permits, B.C.’s regional governments and municipalities routinely collect, store, and share large amounts of personal information about those they serve.

La economía digital no necesita pasaporte ni visado especial. Pero hay un problema: los diferentes sistemas jurídicos y normas culturales sobre privacidad hacen que el flujo de información a través de las fronteras sea una empresa complicada.

El programa "Traiga su propio dispositivo" o BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) es cada vez más popular en muchas organizaciones del sector privado. Pero equilibrar la protección de la información corporativa con los derechos de privacidad de clientes y empleados puede ser un ejercicio difícil, que implica políticas, formación y soluciones técnicas. He aquí algunos consejos a tener en cuenta.

Desde muñecas que hablan hasta versiones en miniatura de los teléfonos móviles, tabletas y relojes inteligentes de mamá y papá, las estanterías de las tiendas están repletas esta temporada de las últimas versiones de juguetes conectados a Internet. A medida que avancen las tecnologías digitales, llegarán al mercado más juguetes conectados. Aquí tienes algunos consejos para proteger la intimidad de tu familia.

Todos esperamos que los organismos públicos y las empresas protejan sus redes informáticas contra amenazas externas, pero ¿qué ocurre con las que pueden producirse dentro de su lugar de trabajo? Las herramientas informáticas pueden ofrecer cierta protección, pero también pueden conducir a la recopilación involuntaria de información personal de sus empleados.

La semana pasada, mi oficina tuvo el orgullo de acoger en Vancouver una importante conferencia titulada Privacidad y acceso 20/20: el futuro de la privacidad. Las sesiones de la conferencia invitaron a la reflexión y fueron oportunas y clarividentes.

En un lluvioso viernes 13 en Vancouver, la Comisaria de Información y Privacidad de Columbia Británica, Elizabeth Denham, y la Representante para la Infancia y la Juventud, Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, presentaron su informe conjunto sobre ciberacoso en la conferencia Privacy & Access 20/20: Future of Privacy.

No siempre es posible terminar todo el trabajo en ocho horas. A veces es inevitable llevarse trabajo a casa. Pero siempre que se accede a información personal fuera de la oficina aumenta el riesgo de que se pierda o se vea comprometida. Los organismos públicos y las organizaciones privadas deben mantener seguros los registros en papel y electrónicos, tal como exigen la Ley de Libertad de Información y Protección de la Intimidad ("FIPPA") y la Ley de Protección de la Información Personal ("PIPA").

Cuando la legislación antispam de Canadá (CASL) entró en vigor el 1 de julio de 2014, nuestras bandejas de entrada de correo electrónico se volvieron mucho más fáciles de gestionar. Pero el spam sigue llegando a los ordenadores. Más que simplemente molestos, estos correos electrónicos no deseados pueden lanzar programas espía maliciosos a nuestras bandejas de entrada y comprometer nuestra privacidad. Afortunadamente, hay algunas medidas sencillas que puede tomar para ayudar a minimizar el riesgo.

¿Se perdió ayer el chat en Twitter con el Comisario? Siga leyendo para ver el guión completo de preguntas y respuestas.

On Nov. 12 and 13, the OIPC will host “Privacy and Access 20/20: The Future of Privacy" with our partner, Reboot Communications. The conference will bring stakeholders from the public, private and non-profit sectors together at the Coast Coal Harbour Hotel for some thought-provoking, content from experts in industry, government, academic institutions and civil society. Here are some thoughts on the topic from Commissioner Elizabeth Denham.

The Information and Privacy Commissioner receives hundreds of complaints and appeals from British Columbians each year.

These numbers have increased significantly in recent years. And we aren’t alone: privacy and access to information commissioners in Canada and beyond are experiencing big increases in case volumes that are challenging them to deliver timely service to the public.

Every year I look forward to Right to Know week, because it gives us a chance to celebrate and acknowledge the value of access to information rights. As an avid book-lover and dedicated book-club member, it seemed like a good opportunity to share some of my top picks for books that could find a home in the "access to information" section of your bookshelf.

El objetivo de la Semana del Derecho a Saber es concienciar sobre nuestro derecho a acceder a la información gubernamental. El derecho a saber también promueve la libertad de información como elemento esencial tanto de la democracia como de la buena gobernanza. He aquí otros datos de interés sobre la Semana del Derecho a Saber:

This month, learn about accountability and the benefits of implementing a privacy management program. We have several online tools for you to explore, including two webinars (each with printer-friendly notes), a video, and podcast. Dig a little deeper with our related guidance documents, then take our privacy assessment challenge.