OTTAWA – When it comes to the internet, some Canadians don’t seem to mind if Big Brother might be watching.
That’s one of the findings from a new survey released Wednesday by the Canadian Internet Registration Authority, which states that half (49 percent) of Canadians believe it is acceptable for the government to monitor email and other online activities of Canadians in some circumstances.
The number of Canadians who say online surveillance is acceptable jumps even higher – to 77% – if it is conducted under the guise of preventing future terrorist attacks.
Four in ten (39%) of respondents said they believe the government is tracking their online activity, compared to 15% who don’t. Almost half (46%) said they weren’t sure either way.
The CIRA, an organization that manages the .CA Internet domain, finds Canadians’ cavalier attitudes toward their online Privacy so alarming it’s calling for a national dialogue on the subject.
News reports about the Snowden revelations of how the U.S. government monitors the activities of internet users around the world prompted CIRA to poll Canadians for their views on the subject with the help of public opinion research firm Ipsos Reid.
Canadians’ apparent apathy may be rooted in simple ignorance. CIRA’s survey found that only 18% of Canadians believe Internet activity is confidential, and 20% say they don’t know if it is confidential or not.
“These are discouraging but important results. As much of the world is engaged in a fierce debate over surveillance, Canadian complacency is a major issue,” said Michael Geist, Canada Research Chair in internet and e-commerce Law, in a CIRA release.
Geists was among a handful of prominent Canadians invited to comment on the survey’s findings. “It speaks to the need for greater public education and awareness of current surveillance activities, oversight programs, and the implications for privacy and freedom of expression for all Canadians,” he said.
CIRA is providing an online forum to discuss the future of the Internet in Canada, and the issues of government and corporate online surveillance. Visit http://cif.cira.ca/ to participate.
