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Privacy Commissioner of Canada Rules Bell's Targeted Ad Program Violates the Law
An anonymous reader writes: The Privacy Commissioner of Canada has released the long-awaited decision on Bell's targeted ads program. The Commissioner's
press release soft-pedals the outcome — "Bell advertising program raises privacy concerns" — but the decision is clear: Bell's so-called relevant ads program violates Canadian privacy law. As Michael Geist explains, the key issue in the case focused on whether Bell should be permitted to use an opt-out consent mechanism in which its millions of customers are all included in targeted advertising unless they take pro-active steps to opt-out, or if an opt-in consent model is more appropriate. The Commissioner ruled that opt-in consent is needed, but Bell is refusing to comply with the ruling.
>Bell's so-called relevant ads program violates Canadian privacy law.
>Bell is refusing to comply with the ruling.
So who's going to jail?
I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
place your bets.
An update to said story would proffer indication of a reversal upon the part of Bell.
The US could use a lot more opt-in. Getting real tired of the level of opt-out.
Besides the privacy concerns, I don't want my ISP monkeying with the HTML I'm getting from web pages ever - not to 'improve my experience'. I already had to talk to them to get them to stop injecting bandwidth-usage messages into my web browsing. Fortunately, https kills that dead.
Secondly, it's gross when a massive telco starts injecting their own ads on top of web site ads, especially if it's a small, ad-supported website.
Both of these, IMO, are tampering with private communications.
... just like TV.
To understand how the Internet really works, all we have to do is examine the TV revenue model.
The carriers are supported by subscriber fees and advertisers. The only part the consumer plays is to purchase the necessary hardware.
It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
No idea how it works anywhere else but at Waterloo University, On, Canada. There are about a dozen $20 optional donations that automatically go to a number of campus organizations at enrollment. Of course you can opt-out of these donations being traveling to these distant and fragmented organizations and filling out the appropriate forms.
Troll is not a replacement for I disagree.
There needs to be some criminal charges filed.
Ones to people, not the corporation.
Specifically to the people who have made the decisions to ignore the rulings.
Not some low profile patsy.
These people need to be informed that the government, and the people of Canada will not stand for their behaviour.
Every 5 years or so I forget how bad my experiences with Bell Canada have been and I buy a service from them. Invariably within a month or two I'm horribly disappointed. Incompetence, poor ethics and deceptive pricing. Then I bounce into the arms of small local providers and I relearn what good service is all about.
I don't know what went wrong with Bell. Some kind of institutionalized bad karma or something, but they have to be the worst large corporation to deal with in Canada.
The thing is, corporations shouldn't be allowed to run afoul of the law and screw their customers over, only to say "oops, we'll fix that" when they're finally called to task. That encourages them to screw us over this with no penalties other than to cease, but the damage is already done.
How about Bell cuts a nice big cheque back to any customers affected by this, AND stops.
The Canadian government violates Canadian privacy laws. It's actually impressive we still have a privacy commissioner.
Bell Canada has lost its way some time ago. It started with the idea of a 'vertically integrated market' ( https://openmedia.ca/blog/fina... ) , then it got a spanking from the CRTC about download exemptions (see http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2... ) quickly followed by not being allowed to keep the plan in place during the trial ( http://www.theglobeandmail.com... ). Slip in a CRTC decision to unbundle TV channels, aka “pick-and-pay”, and Bell Media President puts his foot in it, by 'Meddling' in News Coverage ( http://www.theglobeandmail.com... ). Now it's a 'Privacy' problem for all those vertically integrated customers. Draw your own conclusions about who is to blame, but my money is on an entirely clueless Management Team.
Thankfully in Huron County, Ontario there are several competing Cooperative ISPs that are not interested in hurting their customers. They are also competitively priced and provide excellent support and bandwidth options.
Tuckersmith Communications Co-operative Ltd.
Hay Communications
Huron Telecommunications Co-operative Ltd.
Hello Shashdot. I am a class actions lawyer in Toronto. I am looking for Quebec residents interested in standing as a representative plaintiff in a national class action lawsuit against Bell. If you're a customer of Bell (with a data plan), over 18, and a resident of Quebec, you might consider taking a role in this litigation. If you have any interest whatsoever, call or email Brendan at 416-964-7950 or brendano@charneylawyers.com.