privacy law for network administrators steven penney faculty of law university of new brunswick
TRANSCRIPT
Privacy Law for Network Administrators
Steven Penney
Faculty of Law
University of New Brunswick
Overview
• Criminal Code
• Public sector privacy legislation
• Private sector privacy legislation
• Sector-specific legislation
Criminal Code
Interception and seizure of private communications
• Prohibitions– Wire-to-wire communications– Wireless (radio-based) communications– Systems manager exception (quality control, unauthorized use,
mischief)
• Interception (wiretap) warrants– Content– Routing (“envelope”) data
• Search and seizure warrants
• 3d party production orders
Public sector privacy legislation
• Privacy Act– “Personal information” under control of a
“government institution”
• Provincial legislation
Private sector privacy legislation
PIPEDA
Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act
History
• EU Directive (1995)– “adequate level of protection”
• CSA Model Code (1996)
• Phased implementation– Full effect January 1, 2004
Jurisdiction
• Commercial activities (federal & provincial)
• Employee information (federal only)
• Exemptions– Privacy Act – Personal or domestic purposes– “substantially similar” provincial statutes
(intra-provincial information only)
Overview
• Personal information
• Privacy principles
• Oversight and enforcement
Personal Information
• Definition– “information about an identifiable
individual . . . [except] the name, title or business address or telephone number of an employee of an organization”
• Intimacy not required
• Collection v. generation irrelevant
• Anonymity and aggregation
Privacy Principles
Interpretive tools
• Schedule (“shall” v. “should”) (s. 5(2))
• Reasonableness (s. 5(3))– “An organization may collect, use or disclose
personal information only for purposes that a reasonable person would consider are appropriate in the circumstances.”
The Schedule
Accountability
• Designated person
• 3d party transfers
– Mere processing (contractual protections)
– Disclosure (must comply with Act)
Notice of purposes
• New purposes
Informed consent• No conditions for non-essential information
– e.g. “no SIN, no connection”
• Form of consent– Sensitivity of information– Express v. implied– “Opt-in” v. “opt-out”
• Withdrawal of consent– Subject to legal and contractual restrictions
Exceptions to consent
• Collection– Interests of person and consent can’t be obtained– Investigation of breach of contract or law – Journalistic, artistic, or literary purpose– Publicly available and in regulations
• Use– Investigation of breach of law– Health or security emergency– Statistical or scholarly research (restrictions)– Publicly available and in regulations– Collected under ss. 7(1)(a) or (b)
Exceptions to consent con’t• Disclosure
– Organization’s lawyer– Debt collection– Court order– Law enforcement and national security (where legal
entitlement)– Investigation of breach of contract or law (to or by
investigative body)– Health or security emergency– Statistical or scholarly research (restrictions)– Archives– 100 years or 20 years after death– Publicly available and in regulations– Compliance with law
Limiting collection
• Only for identified purposes
Limiting use, disclosure and retention
• No additional purposes without consent
• Retain only for as long as necessary to fulfill purpose for which information collected
• Retain long enough to enable access to information used for decision
• Guidelines and procedures encouraged, including minimum and maximum retention periods
Accuracy
• Accurate, complete, and up-to-date
Safeguards
• Loss or theft, unauthorized access, etc.
• Measures vary with sensitivity of information
• Technological measures (e.g. encryption)
• Employee training
Openness
• Policies in readily accessible form
• Contact information
• Means for access to information
• General description of types of information held
Access
• Confirmation of existence
• Right of review
• Disclosure of information to third parties (list)
• Minimal or no cost
• Due diligence and time limits
• Amendment and corrections
Exceptions to Access
• 3d party information
• Solicitor-client privilege
• Confidential commercial information
• Health or security of 3d party
• Compromise legal investigation
• Information generated from formal dispute resolution process
• Notification of access request to government for law enforcement (government veto)
Challenging compliance
• Procedures and notification
• Duty to investigate
• Appropriate remedies
Oversight and Enforcement
Privacy Commissioner
• Complaints
• PC’s power to initiate
• Investigative powers and mediation
• Reports (confidentiality and shaming)
• Audits
• Education, research, and compliance assistance
Federal Court
• Complainant
• Privacy Commissioner
• Remedies
Provincial Legislation
• Non-commercial
• Employees in provincial sector
• Commissioners’ order-making powers
• Jurisdictional issues