Need for reforms of Canada’s Privacy Commissioner practices
Members of the media may directly contact the following experts on this topic:
Matt Malone (English and French)
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law – Common Law Section, and Director of the Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC).
[email protected]
Professor Malone’s research pertains to how law protects secret information, especially in the context of trade secrecy, confidential information, access to information, privacy, data protection, and cybersecurity.
“When Philippe Dufresne was appointed Privacy Commissioner of Canada in 2022, Canadians were hopeful he would renew the office’s mandate through robust enforcement of federal privacy laws. Almost three years later, that promise remains unfulfilled.
“Commissioner Dufresne’s office has become known for launching investigations that span years with little to no resolution, such as those into TikTok and ChatGPT. When pressed, his office issues vague assurances that longstanding files remain a ‘top priority.’ Meaningful information is rarely forthcoming. Increasingly, the focus is on the theatre of enforcement, not actual enforcement.”
Read the full release from Professor Malone and the CIPPIC, which comes during Privacy Awareness Week.