Amendments introduced to strengthen privacy act
By Contributor
Amendments to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act were introduced in the legislature this week.
The amendments to the act are the result of recommendations by the Special Committee to Review the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner, and from 118 submissions from stakeholders including the Union of British Columbia Municipalities and the broader public sector.
They also reflect the results of consultation with British Columbians on service delivery, where findings revealed the vast majority of citizens access services online and expect the same service experience with government.
The proposed legislation would bring in new provisions to support a more effective and efficient application of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPP Act).
“These amendments serve to modernize an act that came into force in 1992, when the majority of citizens had not even heard of the Internet,” said Labour, Citizens’ Services and Open Government Minister Margaret MacDiarmid.
Specifically, the amendments:
- Support open government by enshrining into law the policy direction recently taken with open data and open information.
- Allow citizens to consent to have their information collected where it results in improved service delivery.
- Enable the development of a provincial identity management system, which paves the way for citizens to have secure online government identification.
- Enable information sharing across government in specific circumstances where programs touch multiple ministries while adding new authorities for the Information and Privacy Commissioner to ensure that we protect personal privacy.
- Create rules, in consultation with the Information and Privacy Commissioner, on topics like data linking.
The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act gives people the legal right of access to records in the custody of public bodies, while at the same protecting citizens’ private information.
Amendments set foundation for online services
The proposed amendments to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPP Act) will allow for the development of a provincial identity management system which gives citizens the choice to verify their identity securely online.
Together with other amendments in the package, Bill 3 provides a comprehensive foundation for electronic service delivery and the necessary oversight to ensure it is done in a way that is respectful of personal privacy.
Possible scenarios for online services:
Online access to health care information
Clients could be able to securely access a service that could include information such as their own medical records –their prescriptions and prescription history, or lab test results. Only the client, or authorized medical professionals, would have access to the client’s information.
Confirming age, status as a student, or residency, while protecting privacy
The new services card has been designed from the outset with a paramount focus on privacy protections and security. The design makes it possible to reveal only the essential information required in order to gain access to a service or perform an activity.
The services card (in some cases used in conjunction with other services), could make it possible to reveal specific pieces of information.
For example, a client could obtain a statement they are “19 or over” or confirm their status as a “Resident of B.C.” all without disclosing additional, possibly unrelated, personal information.
This is in contrast to today’s common practice of requesting “government issued ID” which can have the unintended side effect of providing the requestor with all of the information printed or displayed on the card.
Securely change an address with government programs
Tasks such as updating an address could be made simpler via secure online access.
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