Data Privacy, Today and Every Day

Facebook and Cambridge Analytica. General Data Protection Regulation. These were headline news for much of 2018.

Both served to highlight how advancements in technology can infringe on privacy rights and the importance of valuing and protecting personal information. While it might be tempting to just close the book on 2018 and move on, issues related to privacy, data and technology aren’t going anywhere soon.

It’s a fitting topic given that today is Data Privacy Day, but it’s one we should be thinking and talking about more often. Recognized around the world, Data Privacy Day raises awareness of privacy and data protection among individuals, organizations and government officials. The date coincides with the first legally binding international treaty on the protection of personal data, Convention 108, signed on January 28, 1981.

Last week, our office held a privacy day event to help people understand some of the potential privacy challenges of technology-driven smart cities and spark discussion about this very important, and timely, topic. It included a panel with experts from the legal, information management and public service fields, answering questions from people across Ontario. If you missed it, a full replay of the day’s discussion is available on our YouTube channel.

Our office has many resources to help you cut through the noise and gain a better understanding of how privacy affects your organization and your day-to-day life (links to a few of them are included below). These resources, and many more on a variety of topics, are available by selecting the guidance tab on our website’s homepage. Use them to expand your knowledge and make privacy a priority in 2019.

Brian Beamish
Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario

Resources:

Smart Cities and Your Privacy Rights

General Data Protection Regulation

Big Data and Privacy Rights

Your Child’s Privacy in School