GATINEAU – A growing number of Canadians have expressed concern about their privacy and are taking proactive steps to safeguard it, says a new survey commissioned by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.
The 2014 Survey of Canadians on Privacy, conducted last fall by Phoenix Strategic Perspectives Inc., polled more than 1,500 Canadians. It found that nine in 10 respondents were concerned about privacy, and one in three (34%) said they were extremely concerned – up significantly from 25% in 2012.
More than seven in 10 Canadians (73%) said they feel they have less protection of their personal information in their daily lives – the highest level in a decade. Meanwhile, 60% say they have little expectation of privacy today, either online or in the real world because there are so many ways in which their privacy can be compromised.
"Canadians are telling us they are concerned about many privacy issues, for example, data breaches, identity theft, digital privacy and warrantless access to personal data held by telecommunications companies," said Privacy Commissioner Daniel Therrien, in a statement. "Canadians deeply value privacy, but fear they are losing the control they have over their personal information. It's imperative we find ways to enhance that sense of control so that people feel their privacy rights are being respected."
Other highlights from the report include:
– A significant majority (78%) expressed concern about how personal information about them online might be used in the context of government surveillance;
– More than half of Canadians (57%) said they were "not comfortable" with government departments and agencies requesting personal information from telecommunications companies without a warrant;
– Canadians expressed particular concern about what might happen to the personal information stored on a mobile device if it was lost or stolen, with nearly half (49%) saying they were extremely concerned; and
– Nearly 30% of respondents said they had been negatively affected by a breach. Most felt it is at least somewhat likely that their privacy may be breached by someone using their credit or debit card (78%), stealing their identity (78%), or accessing personal information stored on their computer or mobile device (74%).
In addition, roughly half of Canadians said they don't have a good understanding of what businesses and government will do with their personal information.
"There are lessons to draw from those findings," added Commissioner Therrien. "Businesses should be more upfront and clear about their privacy practices – and not bury that information in long, legalistic privacy policies. And government departments and agencies need to respond to Canadians' expectation that they be transparent about how they collect and use personal information."
The poll did suggest that a growing number of people are taking proactive steps to protect their privacy. For example:
– Almost eight in 10 people surveyed (78%) have become less willing to share their personal information with organizations in the wake of media stories about sensitive information being lost, stolen or made public;
– More than three-quarters (77%) had refused to provide an organization with their personal information at one point in time; and
– Eight in 10 (81%) are more likely to choose to do business with a company specifically because it has a good reputation for privacy practices.
And when it comes to mobile devices, the survey found a major shift in the number of people taking security precautions on those devices:
– 77% use a password lock (compared to only 39% in 2011);
– 72% adjust settings to limit info sharing (compared to 40% in 2011);
– 75% have decided not to install an app because of concerns over the personal information requested (compared to 55% in 2011); and
– 58% have turned off location tracking because of privacy concerns (compared to 38% in 2012).
The telephone poll, conducted in October and November of 2014, has a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percent, 19 times out of 20. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner commissions polls in order to gauge public understanding and awareness of privacy issues.
