The Canadian Privacy Law Blog: Developments in privacy law and writings of a Canadian privacy lawyer, containing information related to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (aka PIPEDA) and other Canadian and international laws.
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About this page and the author
The author of this blog,
David T.S. Fraser, is a Canadian privacy lawyer who practices with the
firm of McInnes Cooper. He is the author of the Physicians' Privacy Manual. He has a national and international practice advising corporations and individuals on matters related to Canadian privacy laws.
For full contact information and a brief bio, please see David's profile.
Please note that I am only able to provide legal advice to clients. I am not able to provide free legal advice. Any unsolicited information sent to David Fraser cannot be considered to be solicitor-client privileged.
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The views expressed herein are solely the author's and should not be attributed to his employer or clients. Any postings on legal issues are provided as a public service, and do not constitute solicitation or provision of legal advice. The author makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained herein or linked to. Nothing herein should be used as a substitute for the advice of competent counsel.
This web site is presented for informational purposes only. These materials do not constitute legal advice and do not create a solicitor-client relationship between you and David T.S. Fraser. If you are seeking specific advice related to Canadian privacy law or PIPEDA, contact the author, David T.S. Fraser.
Saturday, November 06, 2004
Registering vulnerable populations may compound their daily risks
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development is promoting the use of shared local databases to assist in providing adequate services to local homeless populations. While collecting information on needs such as this can have a compelling rationale, Wired News (Activists Slam Homeless Tracking) is reporting that activists are lobbying against the effort because of fears for the safety of battered women fleeing abusive spouses. The databases contain name, address (if any), social security numbers and information on disabilities. The fear is that databases, regardless of the security, are vulnerable to abuse and could assist in tracking down fleeing spouses.
The media is full of reports of accidental disclosures, either through hacking, social engineering and simple misuse by "authorized" users. Any program that compiles information about vulnerable populations must balance the need for the information against the risk to individuals should the data be disclosed. Mandatory registration such as this can also have the effect of deterring these vulnerable populations from seeking the assistance they desperately need.
See the full article at: Wired News: Activists Slam Homeless Tracking.
Labels: information breaches
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