[Ecommerce] Canadian Internet privacy law

[James Love]

http://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/23/technology/23PRIV.html

          December 23, 2000 

          Canada Strengthens Internet Privacy

          By TIMOTHY PRITCHARD

               TORONTO, Dec. 22 — A
               new law to protect personal
          information disclosed through
          electronic transactions will take
          effect in Canada on Jan. 1, and it
          will eventually affect all domestic
          companies and those in the United
          States that have Canadian
          subsidiaries.

          Initially, the new law, the Personal
          Information Protection and
          Electronic Documents Act, will
          cover only companies that are
          federally regulated — mainly
          banks and airlines. But by 2004,
          anyone doing business in Canada
          must comply.

          Under the law, the consent of
          consumers would be required if
          their personal information was
          used commercially — and it would
          be illegal to use data gathered in
          the past without that consent.
          Consumers will also have the right
          to review any information about
          them that is on file.

          A privacy commission is being set up to investigate
violations, while protecting whistle-blowers, and to take law-breakers
to court if necessary.


   [snip]

          According to a survey by Michael Geist, a law professor at the
University of Ottawa, half of the commercial World Wide Web sites  in
Canada do not have a privacy policy, and many of the existing policies
are weak. Of 259 sites surveyed this summer, 40 percent did not indicate
whether personal information could be given to a third party.

   [snip]

          Companies must not only set up procedures for disclosure and
consent, but also name someone responsible for privacy matters.

          Mr. Keith of Borden Ladner said he did not think foreign
subsidiaries would find it difficult to meet the new standards, although
it could be a big undertaking for, say, a financial company.

   [snip]


-- 
James Love  <love@cptech.org>  http://www.cptech.org
Consumer Project on Technology, P.O. Box 19367, Washington, DC 200036
voice 1.202.387.8030 fax 1.202.234.5176