Canada Introduces Privacy Reforms That Encourage Warrantless Disclosure of Info

An anonymous reader writes "Earlier this week, the government introduced the Digital Privacy Act (Bill S-4), the latest attempt to update Canada's private sector privacy law. Michael Geist reports that the bill includes a provision that could massively expand warrantless disclosure of personal information. Organizations will be permitted to disclose personal information without consent (and without a court order) to any organization that is investigating a contractual breach or possible violation of any law. This applies both past breaches or violations as well as potential future violations. Moreover, the disclosure occurs in secret without the knowledge of the affected person (who therefore cannot challenge the disclosure since they are not aware it is happening). Consider it a gift to copyright trolls, who won't need the courts to obtain information on thousands of Internet users."

Comments

Politicians...

[Knightman]

I don't get it, are politicians born stupid or have their parents dropped them on their head (repeatedly) while they where young?

The possibility of abuse of this law if it's passed is mind-boggling. I do hope the Canadian people wakes up and take their politicians to task.

Sorry, Canada

[LookIntoTheFuture]

* organizations could disclose subscriber or customer personal information without a court order to law enforcement with full legal immunity from liability
* organizations could disclose subscriber or customer personal information without a court order to any other organization claiming investigation of an actual or potential contractual breach or legal violation
* the disclosures would be kept secret from the affected individuals
* the disclosing organizations would be under no obligation to report on their practices or past disclosures

Wow. Good thing I live in the US where a citizens privacy is a high priority and its importance is well understood by our government.

Re:Eh?

[davecb]

We used to have four parties,
Left Left-Center Right-center Right
NDP Liberal Conservative Reform
plus a Quebec party, plus some oddballs.

We used to get lots of debate, and some very different suggestions from the NDP and Reform, which tended to keep the debate healthy.

Now we have Reform, renamed as the "Conservatives", a rump of the Liberals, and a invigorated NDP. The latter two split the left-center vote, the Reform party wins, and the policies look remarkably homogenized.

Bummer!