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This paper, Deputizing the Private Sector: Requiring the Collection of Personal Information by Non-Government Entities for Law Enforcement or Other Purposes, looks into the collection of personal information by non-government entities (typically a private sector company) for disclosure to and use by government or law enforcement. The choice of who collects personal information has consequences for the privacy rights of individuals. Using examples of bylaws or legislation developed in Canada and elsewhere, the authors provide advice for assessing the collection decisions made by legislators and policymakers. Specifically, the authors identify aspects that matter to privacy (p. 19) and ideas for evaluation of personal information collection choices (p. 23). Published in May 2015.
This paper analyzes various Canadian and international government sharing initiatives with a perspective on privacy. It provides a framework for analysis of these projects, identifies project risks and strategies to mitigate risks, and broadly examines actions taken to protect privacy in the context of multi-stakeholder citizen-centred information sharing projects. Published in January 2015.
The guidance is meant to assist law enforcement agencies, other public bodies or private organizations develop policies and procedures governing the use of body-worn cameras. This document was developed in partnership with information and privacy authorities from across Canada. Published in February 2015.
To help organizations achieve compliance with private sector privacy legislation, the offices of the federal, B.C. and Alberta privacy commissioners developed these guidelines. In a question and answer format, this document sets out the principles for evaluating the use of video surveillance and for ensuring that its impact on privacy is minimized. Published in March 2008.
This guidance is for federal, provincial, regional and municipal police agencies on the use of facial recognition. It was not written for other public organizations outside of the police that are involved in law enforcement activities (for example, border control), nor for private-sector organizations that carry out similar activities (for example, private security). However, these organizations must still ensure their compliance with all applicable laws, including privacy and human rights laws. Sections of this guidance may be helpful for that purpose.
Canada's privacy authorities called for a new legal framework that sets out appropriate limits on police use of facial recognition. The statement says the legal framework should establish clearly and explicitly the circumstances in which police use of facial recognition is acceptable – and when it is not. It should include privacy protections that are specific to facial recognition use, and it should ensure appropriate oversight when the technology is deployed.
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