Canadian privacy regulators pass resolution to address privacy-related harms resulting from deceptive design patterns

TORONTO, ON, November 13, 2024 - Privacy regulators from across Canada have issued a joint resolution calling for action on the growing use of deceptive design patterns (DDPs) that undermine privacy rights. Passed at their October annual meeting, hosted by the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, the resolution outlines key measures for organizations to adopt privacy-first design practices. Read more...

• Resolution: Identifying and mitigating harms from privacy-related deceptive design patterns
• Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario hosts annual meeting of federal, provincial, and territorial information and privacy commissioners and ombuds

Information and Privacy Commissioner releases Review Report 24-17

The Department of Service Nova Scotia (public body) did not issue a decision to the applicant in response to an access to information request within the legislated time period required by the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPOP). The reason for the delay was that the public body has not signed off on the access to information decision. The applicant appealed to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner. The Commissioner finds that the public body is in contravention of s. 7 of FOIPOP and recommends that a decision be issued to the applicant within 14 days of the date of this review report. See more...

 Information and Privacy Commissioner releases Review Report 24-16

The Department of Community Services (public body) did not issue a decision to the applicant in response to an access to information request within the legislated time period required by the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPOP). The cause of the delay was related to the public body’s search actions. The applicant appealed to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner. The Commissioner finds that the public body is in contravention of s. 7 of FOIPOP and recommends that a decision be issued to the applicant within 14 days of the date of this review report.

This is the fifth report that the Commissioner has made since August 2023 because the public body has failed to respond to the applicant within the statutory deadline. For this reason, the Commissioner builds upon her recommendation in NS Review Report 24-03 that senior leadership at the public body address this problem by ensuring it has sufficient resources to fulfill its legal obligations under FOIPOP. In this report, the Commissioner elaborates on this by recommending that within one month of the date of this report, the public body hire additional staff and explore any other avenues that could be capitalized on to complete this work. Read more...

Federal, provincial, territorial information and privacy commissioners and ombuds wrap up successful annual meeting