Ontario's Information and Privacy Commissioner hosting free webcast tomorrow on law enforcement and surveillance technologies

TORONTO, Jan. 27, 2021 /CNW/ - In recognition of Data Privacy Day, Ontario's Information and Privacy Commissioner will host a free, online webcast on Thursday, January 28, at 9:30 a.m. on the use of surveillance technologies by law enforcement bodies. Examples of these technologies include body-worn cameras, artificial intelligence, automated licence plate recognition, facial recognition and biometric technologies. While these technologies can greatly aid law enforcement, they can also have a significant negative impact on privacy and access rights if not used with appropriate governance frameworks in place.

Key issues to be discussed include:

• Designing and integrating rules that protect personal information, and provide for effective oversight and control mechanisms
• Principles of necessity, transparency, and accountability when engaging in technology-assisted policing
• Growing public demand for police accountability and changing attitudes towards police use of technology
• The need to ensure that law enforcement use of technologies is effective in achieving its objectives and respects human rights and civil liberties

The morning's agenda:

9:30 a.m. – Welcome and introductory remarks by IPC Commissioner, Patricia Kosseim 
9:35 a.m. – Overview of emerging surveillance technologies by law enforcement, Chris Parsons, Senior Research Associate, Citizen Lab
10:00 a.m. – Panel Discussion moderated by the Commissioner

• Raj Dhir, Executive Director/Chief Legal Officer, Ontario Human Rights Commission
• Colin Freeze, Reporter, Globe and Mail
• Stephen McCammon, Legal Counsel, Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
• Chris Parsons, Senior Research Associate, Citizen Lab
• Alana Saulnier, Criminology Program Coordinator and professor, Lakehead University
• Colin Stairs, Chief Information Officer, Toronto Police Service

11:00 a.m. – Audience Q&A moderated by the Commissioner
11:20 a.m. – Summary by Ron Kruzeniski, Information and Privacy Commissioner of Saskatchewan
11:25 a.m. – Concluding remarks by IPC Assistant Commissioner, Sherry Liang

Registration

This is a free event, but we ask that you please register.

Media inquiries

The Commissioner will be available after the event for pre-arranged media interviews.

SOURCE Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario

[email protected]

Related Links

www.ipc.on.ca