Organizations Can Expect Increased Canadian Regulation For Privacy Violations

Violations of privacy–already regulated by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (as well as provincial privacy regulators)–may also soon be regulated by Canada’s Competition Bureau. In a statement yesterday at the Data Forum in Ottawa, Canada’s newly appointed Competition Commissioner, Matthew Boswell, has suggested that the $10-million cap on fines for deceptive practices may not be appropriate for violations of privacy by app makers. The Competition Commissioner has previously stated that his agency is considering pursuing app makers who use personal data without clear consent. The bureau has not yet asserted its authority to regulate these violations of privacy, but these statements suggest that Canada may not be far off from this additional regulation of privacy matters.