Montreal, January 28, 2022 - On this Data Protection Day, Option consommateurs calls on the federal government to strengthen the powers of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, and to introduce stiff financial penalties for companies that fail to adopt adequate security measures for personal information.
These recommendations are contained in a research report on cybersecurity published today by Option consommateurs .
With the number of security breaches in Canada reaching record levels, and the risks of security breaches on the rise, the issue of data protection needs to be taken seriously by businesses. But the current federal framework lacks teeth, unlike Quebec's, which has recently been strengthened.
"All efforts to improve the law will be of little use if companies can fail to comply with it with impunity. In recent years, our Office has issued a number of rulings finding companies in breach of the law, particularly with regard to their obligation to protect personal information. Yet many of these companies have not suffered the slightest sanction for their alarming breaches of the law, and have sometimes even refused to implement the recommendations of the Commissariat," deplores Me Alexandre Plourde, author of theOption consommateurs research.
As consumers are not in a position to assess a company's security measures before using its services, Option consommateurs also believes that public authorities should conduct preventive investigations of companies to identify security failures before leaks occur.
The " Consumers and Data Breach Prevention in Canada " research project was carried out with funding from the Contribution Program for Non-Profit Consumer and Voluntary Organizations of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.
About Option consommateurs
Option consommateurs is a non-profit association whose mission is to defend the rights and interests of consumers. It focuses on issues related to personal finance, business practices, financial services, privacy, energy, debt and access to justice.
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Marie-Ève Dumont, Communications Consultant
514-777-6133
