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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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.

Thursday, June 24, 2004

PIPED Act Case Summary #270: Bank agrees to modify automated message - May 4, 2004

A new finding from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner that strongly suggests that sensitive personal information should not be left on someone's answering machine:

Commissioner's Findings - PIPED Act Case Summary #270: Bank agrees to modify automated message - May 4, 2004 - Privacy Commissioner of Canada:

"An individual alleged that her bank improperly disclosed her personal information when it left an automated message on her answering machine stating that she was behind on making a payment on her credit card. She stated that she had not given her consent for the bank to leave a message that anyone in her family or a visitor could hear, and objected to this disclosure of her financial status in an unsecured and non-private forum."

The Assistant Commisioner found the complaint to have been resolved by the bank's undertaking not to leave such messages again.

The moral of the story is to not leave sensitive personal information on someone's voice-mail or answering machine without their OK. This will surely apply to physicians who may wish to leave a reminder about an upcoming appointment or a pharmacist leaving a message that the patient's Viagra prescription is ready to pick up.

Labels: information breaches, pipeda findings

6/24/2004 08:24:00 PM :: (1 comments) :: Backlinks

Comments:

Look, more to the point a dangerous thing is happening anyway ... pharmacies are including Viagra in the patient profile which is handed over with each new prescription and which never goes out of date (I have prescriptyions showing back to 1998 )
If someone were to se this profile who shouldn't , hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages could result. The Pharmacy care about that do they ? NOT !
How can one live in a society where such information cannot be removed by the person ? This is clearly something that should be addressed... because for one thing how many thousands of men have gone onto the internet to buy suspect Viagra from off shore gin mills, precisely because they do not want such information shared ???

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