If you’ve had a conversation with Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner Ann Cavoukian in the past several years, she’s probably mentioned her “positive-sum paradigm” to you.
Ontario’s privacy watchdog has long championed her model of “Privacy by Design”, writing and speaking about it without tire. The model offers a different approach to the often perceived conflict between security requirements and privacy protection. Rather than accept one must be sacrificed for the other – and these days, it’s privacy being encroached upon for security purposes – Cavoukian says that you can design a system to protect both security and privacy. To communicate her idea, Cavoukian has written a book, white papers, and blogged about it for ITBusiness.ca.
She’s also organized a Toronto-based conference around the concept that’s been attended by the Premier, and showcased technologies such as an encrypted video surveillance system, and an on/off switch for RFID chips embedded in identification cards.
Now all her hard work is being recognized internationally. The International Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners recently adopted Privacy by Design as a resolution. Privacy authorities around the wold will be encouraged to adopt the principles of Cavoukian’s work. The resolution was passed Oct. 29 at the group’s annual conference in Jerusalem.
Here’s Cavoukian discussing Privacy by Design and her thoughts on Facebook in Feburary, 2009.
If you want a more in-depth explanation of Privacy by Design, Cavoukian explains each of the principles and application elements on in videos on the official Web site.