The Privacy Commissioner of Canada has made it clear that, while
privacy is not a barrier to businesses using cloud computing, it
must be taken into consideration. Related guidance has been issued in which
businesses are reminded that the Personal Information Protection
and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) establishes rules
"with respect to obtaining consent for the collection, use
and disclosure of personal information, securing the data, and
ensuring accountability for the information and transparency in
terms of practices."
Organizations are expected to assess the benefits, risks, and
implications for privacy when considering a cloud computing
service. What this means in practice, however, often creates
operational challenges – particularly for those businesses
who do not have the internal expertise or resources to undertake
this analysis. For context, guidance for small and medium-sized enterprises prepared
jointly by the federal Commissioner and the information
