Privacy and Protection of Personal Data is Your Responsibility

Protection of Private and Personal Data is Everyone's ResponsibilityA recent audit by the office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada has found that a certain big box store has not been properly removing customer data from returned laptops and storage devices before reselling them.  CBC News reports that Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddard said these findings are 'particularly disappointing' given that her office has investigated previous complaints involving returned storage devices in 2004 and 2008, and Staples Business Depot had committed to corrective action at that time.

Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) is meant to protect consumers from exposure of their personal information, but ultimately protecting the privacy of our information is our own responsibility.  Removing personal information from laptops, ipods, flash drives, or any other data storage device should be a top priority before the item is returned, exchanged, or even resold by consumers.

Furthermore, wiping data from any electronic device before it is discarded is just as vital.  Hard drives from old computers and media storage devices like sim cards or memory sticks can all be destroyed relatively easily.  Another alternative is to pass any strong magnetic field over them for a few seconds, which completely wipes any magnetic media clean.

Learn more about PIPEDA and what it means to individuals and businesses in Canada here.

Contact CanDox for information or advice on protecting your personal data, files and records.  Your private and personal information can be used against you.  Keep it safe - or destroy it.