Children and Youth in a Digital World

This week, Assistant Commissioner Sherry Liang is representing the IPC at the 38th International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners, in Marrakesh, Morocco. The conference brings together data protection authorities from around the world to share knowledge and guidance on matters relating to data protection and privacy.

This year, the IPC co-sponsored the Resolution for the Adoption of an International Competency Framework on Privacy Education, which the international data protection authorities have endorsed. In consideration of the urgent need to educate children on data protection and privacy in today’s digital world, this resolution introduces a framework for governments to use to develop educational programs.

This resolution and framework will help raise awareness about this important issue and drive the need to include privacy and data protection in school curriculums around the world. This is a significant step in the effort to make privacy education for children and teenagers a standard practice.

As part of discussions around education, Assistant Commissioner Liang presented on the topic of Digital Education in Ontario, Canada, providing an overview of the IPC’s youth education tools, What Students Need to Know for grades 5, 10, and 11-12. These resources help students understand the risks of social media and the privacy-protective measures that can be taken to protect one’s self on the Internet.

Further resolutions adopted at the conference include Resolution on International Enforcement Cooperation (2016) and the Resolution on Developing New Metrics of Data Protection Regulation. All of the endorsed resolutions are on the conference website.

Common misunderstandings about privacy are frequently cited as reasons for not sharing information with a children’s aid society (CAS) about a child who may be at risk. In fact, Ontario law permits professionals working with children to share this information. To help professionals understand that privacy is not a barrier to disclosing this important information, the IPC and the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth created this guide.

Health providers, police, teachers, social service workers and other professionals sometimes cite privacy as the reason for refusing to disclose information to child protection workers. While well-intentioned, this refusal may leave a child in need of protection at risk of harm. Yes, You Can. Dispelling the Myths About Sharing Information with CAS clarifies common misunderstandings about privacy and reporting this information to the CAS. It underscores that, yes, professionals can disclose information to protect a child from potential harm and privacy should never stand in the way of sharing this information.

Today, in collaboration with the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth, we released a new guide to help professionals working with children understand that privacy legislation should not be a barrier to sharing information with a children’s aid society (CAS) about a child who may be at risk. In fact, Ontario law permits the disclosure of this important information.

Health providers, police, teachers, social service workers and other professionals sometimes cite privacy as the reason for refusing to disclose information to child protection workers. While well-intentioned, this refusal may leave a child in need of protection at risk of harm. Yes, You Can. Dispelling the Myths About Sharing Information with Children’s Aid Societies clarifies common misunderstandings about privacy and reporting this information to the CAS. It underscores that, yes, professionals can disclose information to protect a child from potential harm and privacy should never stand in the way of sharing this information.

We hope this guide will lead to Ontario CASs getting more of the important information they need to help children at risk.