Post Tagged with: "privacy"

Van Loan’s Misleading Claims: Case for Lawful Access Not Closed

The push for new Internet surveillance capabilities – dubbed the "lawful access" initiative – dates back to 1999, when government officials began crafting proposals to institute new surveillance technologies within Canadian networks along with additional legal powers to access surveillance and subscriber information.  Over the past decade, lawful access has stalled despite public consultations, bills that have died on the order paper, and even a promise from former public safety minister Stockwell Day to avoid mandatory disclosure of personal information without court oversight. Last June, current Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan tabled the latest lawful access legislative package.  Much like its predecessors, the bill establishes new surveillance requirements for Internet service providers. In an about-face from the Day commitment however, it also features mandatory disclosure of customer information, including name, address, IP address, and email address upon request and without court oversight.

My weekly technology law column (Toronto Star version, Ottawa Citizen version, homepage version) notes that lawful access has long faced at least two significant barriers.  The first involves ISP costs associated with installing new equipment and responding to disclosure requests.  The government has attempted to address those concerns by promising to help pay the bills.  It plans to provide some funding for new equipment and, in a little noticed provision, has opened the door to paying ISPs for providing customer name and address information to law enforcement authorities.  

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September 29, 2009 38 comments Columns

Van Loan’s Misleading Claims: Case For Lawful Access Not Closed

Appeared in the Toronto Star on September 28, 2009 as Case For Net Spying Not Closed Appeared in the Ottawa Citizen on September 29, 2009 as The curious case of the ISP access request that wasn't The push for new Internet surveillance capabilities – dubbed the "lawful access" initiative – […]

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September 29, 2009 1 comment Columns Archive

OPC Publishes Comparative Report on Social Network Privacy Practices

The Privacy Commissioner of Canada has posted a February 2009 study completed by Jennifer Barrigar that compares the privacy practices of six leading social network sites.

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September 27, 2009 Comments are Disabled News

Privacy Law Emerges as Latest Canadian Export

The recent Canadian privacy case involving Facebook attracted international attention as the world's leading social networking site agreed to implement a series of changes that will affect 250 million users.  While the case is widely viewed as a significant victory for Canadian privacy, my weekly technology law column (Toronto Star version, homepage version) notes the issue might never have been addressed but for a second, little-noticed privacy decision released two weeks later.

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September 17, 2009 2 comments Columns

Privacy Law Emerges as Latest Canadian Export

Appeared in the Toronto Star on September 14, 2009 as Standing on Guard for Privacy – Before Facebook The recent Canadian privacy case involving Facebook attracted international attention as the world's leading social networking site agreed to implement a series of changes that will affect 250 million users.  While the […]

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September 14, 2009 Comments are Disabled Columns Archive