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Canadian Privacy Law v. E-Mail Harvesting

Posted by timothy on from the sticky-wicket dept.

sbowles writes "Canada's Privacy Commisioner has ruled that a business e-mail address is personal information protected under the federal privacy legislation (PIPEDA). Law professor Michael Geist (a leading e-commerce and privacy law expert) received an unsolicited request to buy seasons tickets from the local football team. His e-mail address had been harvested from a University website. The ruling indicated that 'You are allowed to collect and use publicly available information, but the use has to be directly related to the purpose for which the information appears in a directory or notice.'"

19 of 279 comments (clear)

  1. Isn't the purpose of a publically posted address.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...to send email to.

  2. Duh by mboverload · · Score: 4, Funny

    Oh Canada oh Canada, why can't we have ye common sense in USA?

    1. Re:Duh by Pig+Hogger · · Score: 5, Funny
      Oh Canada oh Canada, why can't we have ye common sense in USA?
      That's because common sense costs nothing. For something to be available in the US, someone has to charge you for it.
  3. Too bad... by Pig+Hogger · · Score: 5, Funny

    Too bad canadian law only applies in Canada...

    1. Re:Too bad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      For Now!

      Mwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!

      -- Anonymous Canadian

    2. Re:Too bad... by Foobar+of+Borg · · Score: 3, Funny

      Well, at least until they make the U.S. the 11th province.

      --
      Similar to the upcoming US election results
  4. Almost! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Almost had a Soviet Russia joke there...

    In Soviet Russia, bad jokes miss you!

  5. Re:just be self responsible by mboverload · · Score: 4, Funny

    I tried using a new hotmail account to get rid of spam...didn't work.

  6. But that's what makes them Commies, doesn't it? by gelfling · · Score: 5, Funny

    I mean it's all well and good to have LAWS that Protect PEOPLE, but that's lesbo potsmoking terrorist homosexual communism. And that's what we're fighting against, isn't it people? Or do you HATE freedomlibertylibertyfreedomfreedom and Jesus?

    Now get in line and leave your luggage on the platform. You're only being relocated to the east.

    1. Re:But that's what makes them Commies, doesn't it? by CokoBWare · · Score: 2, Funny

      Wow... where did you dig up that up from? You should take a trip to Canada and see that country and meet the people before you spread such obvious disinformation about Canada. Your statements show off your obvious ignorance for a country who is very similar culturally to the US (it has universal healthcare, one of the main differences I think -- incidentally, so does Australia, but they have both a public and private system). If you don't think that the US has its share of lesbian potsmoking terrorist homosexual communists, think again, Mr. Land Of The Free.

    2. Re:But that's what makes them Commies, doesn't it? by rs79 · · Score: 4, Funny

      " but that's lesbo potsmoking terrorist homosexual communism."

      Mpegs?

      --
      Need Mercedes parts ?
  7. Easy to circumvent - by hartba · · Score: 3, Funny

    Hi, I saw your name on Unversity of YYY's website and would like to know more about the law degree program there.
    On a side note, would you like to buy some football tickets?
    Thanks!

    --
    60 percent of the time, my comments are right everytime.
  8. Too bad US law ... by handy_vandal · · Score: 4, Funny

    Too bad canadian law only applies in Canada...

    As opposed to US law which applies ... um, everywhere.

    I think Monty Python put it well: "I favor a tax on all foreigners living abroad."

    -kgj

    --
    -kgj
  9. Please annex Florida by tealtalon · · Score: 2, Funny

    Most of the states hate us, half of the population of Ontartio is here right now anyway. The RV parks fly both US and Canadien flags in the winter. For the love of god...make us Canada's official tropical vacation! I love the laws, hate the cold.

  10. ob Canuck accent joke by Moderatbastard · · Score: 1, Funny

    It's the "Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act". So shouldn't the acronym be PIPEDAA, not PIPEDA?

    --
    1/3 of jokes get modded OT. If you get the joke, mod 1 in 3 insightful/interesting/underrated to restore karma balance.
  11. Re:just be self responsible by Proney · · Score: 2, Funny

    The government publishes Your e-mail address WITH THE GOAL that someone can CLEARLY IDENTIFY valid lawyers in the state.
    Well, it does help us to approximate the size of wall we'll need when the revolution comes...

    --
    require "something.clever";
  12. Kinda.. leaves a bit of a loophole there, don't it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "You are allowed to collect and use publicly available information, but the use has to be directly related to the purpose for which the information appears in a directory or notice.'"

    So when those emails start pouring in to the Law Professor's university account for "Hot Coed Action!" and "Sorority Girls Wilder Than Wild!", the spammers can argue that it's directly related...

  13. Poster decides he was wrong and admits it! Gasp! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Ah, you're right, my mistake.

    You really must be new here.

  14. Re:Public Service Announcement by Wandering+Wombat · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm sorry. I'm so... so... sorry. Is there any way we can help?

    --
    I like to place meaningful quotes in my sig, so people will know that I know what meaningful quotes are.