OIPC 博客

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.

今天拉开了我们庆祝知情权周的序幕，知情权周致力于在全球范围内促进信息自由。知情权运动于 2002 年起源于保加利亚，每年 9 月 28 日都有大约 40 个国家和 60 个非政府组织开展庆祝活动。

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.

每年五月初，世界各地的隐私保护专业人士都会庆祝隐私意识周 (PAW)。该活动由亚太地区隐私保护机构 (APPA) 于 2006 年发起，旨在促进和提高人们对众多隐私问题和信息保护重要性的认识，现已庆祝其十周年。

它们就像你自己的私人教练，而成本却很低。但是，多伦多大学研究人员的一项研究结果表明，健身追踪器这种流行的可穿戴设备在追踪我们的步数、卡路里、睡眠和其他数据的同时，也可能在追踪我们。

我们都有过这样的经历：可疑的电子邮件、骚扰电话或好得不真实的报价。从金字塔骗局到垃圾邮件发送者和骗子，加拿大人每年因电子欺诈损失数百万美元。

在我们这个复杂的数字时代，执法机构与科技公司之间的关系持续紧张。我不会低估国际恐怖主义带来的挑战，尤其是在最近世界各地发生袭击事件之后。但我不禁要问：什么才是对国家安全和执法机构监控活动的适当监督和监管？

马丁-艾布拉姆斯（Martin Abrams）报道 2015 年 12 月，欧洲数据保护监督员乔瓦尼-布塔雷利（Giovanni Buttarelli）发表了一份意见书，建议我们需要为大数据时代重新发明数据保护，不是要在原则上妥协，而是要确保大数据被用于为人们服务。

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.

数字经济不需要护照......不需要特殊签证。但有一个问题：不同的法律体系和关于隐私的文化规范使得信息的跨国界流动成为一项复杂的工作。

"自带设备 "或 BYOD 越来越受到许多私营企业的青睐。但是，如何在保护企业信息与客户和员工隐私权之间取得平衡是一项具有挑战性的工作，涉及政策、培训和技术解决方案。以下是一些可供参考的建议。

从会说话的玩偶到爸妈的迷你版手机、平板电脑和智能手表，本季商店货架上堆满了最新版的联网玩具。 随着数字技术的发展，市场上还会出现更多联网玩具。以下是一些保护家人隐私的小贴士。

我们都希望公共机构和企业能够保护其 IT 网络免受外部威胁，但那些可能发生在工作场所内部的威胁呢？软件工具可以提供一些保护，但也可能导致员工的个人信息被意外收集。

上周，我的办公室很荣幸地在温哥华主办了一场名为 "隐私与访问 20/20：隐私的未来 "的重要会议。 会议内容发人深省、及时且具有前瞻性。

13 日星期五，温哥华阴雨绵绵，不列颠哥伦比亚省信息与隐私专员 Elizabeth Denham 和儿童与青少年事务代表 Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond 在 "隐私与访问 20/20：隐私的未来 "会议上发布了他们关于网络欺凌的联合报告。

在八小时内完成所有工作并不总是可能的。有时，把工作带回家是不可避免的。但是，只要是在办公室之外访问个人信息，信息丢失或泄露的风险就会增加。公共机构和私营组织必须按照《信息自由和隐私保护法》（"FIPPA"）和《个人信息保护法》（"PIPA"）的要求，妥善保管纸质和电子记录。

加拿大反垃圾邮件法（CASL）于 2014 年 7 月 1 日生效后，我们的电子邮件收件箱变得更容易管理了。但是，垃圾邮件仍然会进入电脑。这些不受欢迎的电子邮件不仅令人讨厌，还会向我们的收件箱发送恶意间谍软件，并危及我们的隐私。幸运的是，您可以采取一些简单的措施来帮助将风险降到最低。

您错过了昨天与专员的 Twitter 聊天吗？请继续阅读问答全文。

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.

知情权周的目的是提高我们对获取政府信息权利的认识。知情权周还提倡信息自由，将其作为民主和善政的基本要素。以下是有关知情权周的一些其他快讯：

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.