A new poll from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) of Canada shows Canadians are less trusting of how organizations use their personal data post-pandemic.
The results show 93 percent of Canadians are concerned on some level about privacy protection. Figures of Canadians in the extremely concerned category rose by six percent compared to 2020.
The results further show Canadians have a little bit more trust in the way the government uses their information compared to businesses. Six in ten Canadians believe the government respects their privacy, while four in ten say so for businesses. However, confidence in both areas dropped since 2020.
“The more that people trust that their privacy rights will be protected, the more confident that they will feel about participating freely in the digital economy, which is good for Canadians, good for businesses and good for public interest and innovation,” Philippe Dufresne, Canada’s Privacy Commissioner, said.
The survey also noted older Canadians are more concerned about their privacy rights compared to younger Canadians. However, the results show older residents are less likely to take steps to protect their privacy online.
“Canadians of all ages need more information about their privacy rights, both online and offline, and they need to know how to protect them. Promotion of clear, easily accessible information about privacy will continue to be a priority of my Office,” Dufresne noted.
The OPC, along with its counterparts, is investigating the way some platforms, including TikTok, are using personal user information.
The OPC collected data for the survey through a telephone poll with 1,500 Canadians between November 23rd and December 18th, 2022.
Source: OPC
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