Understanding the importance of privacy in a digital age

Technology is part of our everyday life and now, more than ever, it is important to think about privacy and the protection of personal information. Introduced in 1983, the Privacy Act served to do just that, but at that time, information was solely stored on paper. As a result of emerging technologies and the cultural shift to digital, new tools and resources are being developed to address how federal institutions collect, use, and disclose the personal information they hold.

The Government of Canada (GC) continues to put privacy at the forefront of any new digital program or service design. This means that people in Canada applying to GC programs and services can do so with trust, knowing that their personal information is safeguarded.

The government is continuously adopting new measures to protect personal information held by government institutions. To support privacy practices in the design of digital initiatives, TBS developed a “Digital Privacy Playbook”. The playbook provides guidance to digital project leaders and program managers across the GC and helps them address privacy considerations as part of their planning.

The playbook is a practical tool that provides a high-level overview of what’s required throughout all stages of initiatives—from start to finish, serving as a one-stop shop to find quick answers to questions concerning privacy principles and practices.

We are moving towards a culture where privacy principles are built into the architecture of digital initiatives from the outset. The Digital Privacy Playbook takes a practical approach to applying privacy policy requirements and is a must-have tool for digital project leaders and program managers.

To learn more: https://ow.ly/rmru50OrkJC