Chapter 5 : Personal Information on the Internet

"Protect your personal information because the Internet never forgets," - Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

"The Internet lets you share information with anyone, anywhere, at any time, but not without some peril to your privacy," Canada’s Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart warned.

"There are nearly two billion people now using the Internet and two billion people who can potentially access information about you with the click of a button. So whenever you put your personal information in cyberspace, whether accidentally or by design, it may be impossible to control who uses it and how."

What's the risk?

"Strangers could use it to embarrass you or damage your reputation. Businesses could use it to track your personal likes and dislikes, without your knowledge or consent. It could also be stolen and used in ways that cause you significant personal and financial harm."

"You may not realize it, but whenever you go online, you’re building an identity through the words and images you post and the activities you do. This can become part of your reputation, and it can be a lasting one. Once personal information goes online, it may be difficult to delete. While you may be able to delete it in one place, there may be cached versions or copies stored elsewhere that you cannot control. Digital storage is cheap and computer memory is plentiful. And, unlike people, the Net never forgets."

So it’s important to think about what you’re doing online, and to always protect your information.

The quantity, accessibility and persistence of personal information online affect privacy in ways that are of mounting global concern. Governments, privacy professionals, corporations, academics and students from around the world are marking the annual Data Privacy Day to help raise awareness about the impact that technology is having on our privacy rights and to promote the protection of personal information.

"The threats to privacy are huge and growing. So the protection of personal information has to be the responsibility of everyone – data-protection authorities, organizations and individuals alike, in Canada and around the world."