Then we have scenarios such as the release that happened earlier this week. CBC discovered that CSIS branded what we were told was a highly commended counter terrorist operative as a terrorist threat to the country: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/05/18/mubin-shaikh-wikileaks.html
There seems to be a very thin line between what can be "eye-openers" and threats to security.
The following is an article I wrote regarding a Parliamentary committee meeting I attended earlier this year regarding Google's collection of data in the country to create its "Google Street View" program. Camera vans scoured the nation, gathering panoramic shots of their surroundings. However, it appears they also gathered private data including internet passwords, usernames...etc. Upon further investigation it was discovered that errors could be traced back to the program tweaking of a single engineer; that's right, investigators tracked the error back to one man!!! (almost too Hollywood to be true). Google promised to destroy what it found.
Needless to say, the next Privacy Commissioner will have a lot on his or her plate. Hope they're hungry.........
Google Scrutinized for Canadian Wireless Data Collection
By Harrison Lowman
Google found itself under the gun on Thursday, as a parliamentary committee discussed the inadvertent collection of Canadians’ personal information through its Street View project. Officials from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner said the captured data could include emails, usernames, passwords and medical conditions.
“This was supposed to be just a snap shot in time,” said commission official Patricia Kosseim. The American corporation’s attempt to create a panoramic view of the world, which began in 2007, hit a snag when it was discovered they were taking more than just pictures.
In April 2010, Google added antennae to its street level imaging vehicles in order to pick up WiFi signals. A month later, they realized they were also picking up peoples’ personal information. Operations ended immediately; for many Canadians it was already too late.
“They had been collecting 18 gigabytes worth of data a day,” said Information Technology Research Analyst Andrew Patrick. Readers can equate this to approximately 5,000 songs on your iPod.
In June, the commission launched three complaints against the corporation in the mail. This was followed by a visit to Google headquarters in California. What officials discovered was a single engineer who thought he had written a harmless code.
“How could one engineer decide it was a superficial privacy concern?” asked Liberal MP Carolyn Bennett.
Kosseim attributed this to a lack of privacy training during Street View’s conception and development. She said that they should have followed what she calls a “precautionary principle.” “They have to be certain that no harm is being done before the product is released,” she said.
Nationally, the commission could take its complaints to federal court. Internationally, there continues to be no communication between countries expressing privacy concerns towards Google.
Bloc Québécois MP Caroline Freeman said she thinks this is a scattered approach. “Can’t we have standardization?” she said.
Kosseim said Bill C-28, a wireless spam act, would allow commissions from around the world to join forces. “Commissioners need to be able to compare notes with international colleagues,” she said.
Back at Google, they have recently appointed Alma Whitten as their new privacy director in order to address emerging issues. The commission admitted that they know little about the new director.
Bennett said she is unimpressed with the appointment. “The privacy director will become a scapegoat,” she said.
Liberal MP Shawn Murphy considered the alternatives. “What would have happened if Google had not been caught?” he said.
“They would have complacently continued,” said Kosseim.
Although the Privacy Commissioner is away on business in Europe, Kosseim stressed her involvement in the investigation. “The commissioner is extremely concerned.” She said she awaits confirmation from Google that the segregated data has been destroyed.
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