From: "ama-gi ISPI" <offshore@email.msn.com> Subject: IP: ISPI Clips 4.70:Canadian Internet Providers Draft Privacy Code Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1998 01:11:35 -0700 To: <Undisclosed.Recipients@majordomo.pobox.com> ISPI Clips 4.70:Canadian Internet Providers Draft Privacy Code News & Info from the Institute for the Study of Privacy Issues (ISPI) Friday September 25, 1998 ISPI4Privacy@ama-gi.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This From: The Canadian Press (CP), September 17, 1998 http://www.cp.org Net Privacy Code Drafted OTTAWA (CP) -- Internet providers have released their own draft privacy code just as the government prepares to introduce legislation this fall on the matter. The Canadian Association of Internet Providers, which represents more than 120 providers, hopes industry efforts to regulate itself will stave off government action it says could lead to onerous and potentially harmful national regulations enshrined in law. "If it's extremely onerous for an international company to do business in Canada, they will not do business in Canada," Julie Garcia, senior counsel at America Online Inc. who helped develop the draft code, said. The code, intended to be voluntary, addresses concerns such as control and disclosure of users' personal information. It was drafted to ensure it complies with the Canadian Standards Association Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information. The Internet providers code sets out 10 privacy principles for the industry, including: * Internet providers are responsible for personal information under their control. * Providers must disclose reasons for collecting personal information. * Consent of users is mandatory for collection, use or disclosure of information. * Personal information can be disclosed without consent only as required by law. "The majority of CAIP members already have some kind of a privacy policy," said Margo Langford, chairwoman of the Internet association. "What we're really trying for here is uniformity. I don't think you'll find anybody that objects to the notion. Privacy is good for business." The Internet providers association says U.S. experience has shown that voluntary regulation works better than government law because it fosters competition among providers to meet user demands. Surveys have shown consumers are wary about using the Internet because of concerns about the privacy of their personal information. The federal government wants to introduce legislation early this fall to protect Internet privacy, especially for electronic commerce purposes, before Canada is host of an Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development conference in October. Ottawa established a group to study electronic commerce and it produced a paper on privacy that recommends legislation to address the very issues the Internet association's draft code covers. In addition, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission announced in July it would hold public hearings in November on whether it should get involved in regulating new media, including the Internet. Story Copyright © 1998 The Canadian Press (CP) --------------------------------NOTICE:------------------------------ ISPI Clips are news & opinion articles on privacy issues from all points of view; they are clipped from local, national and international newspapers, journals and magazines, etc. Inclusion as an ISPI Clip does not necessarily reflect an endorsement of the content or opinion by ISPI. 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