A New York-based non-profit known as the Common Data Project has published a report about the privacy policies of major Internet sites such as Google, Yahoo!, Wikipedia, Microsoft, Amazon, eBay, Facebook, and Craigslist:
"We realize that most users of online services have not and never will read the privacy policies so carefully crafted by teams of lawyers at Google and Microsoft."
"And having read all of these documents (many times over), we're not convinced that anyone should read them, other than to confirm what you probably already know: A lot of data is being collected about you, and it's not really clear who gets to use that data, for what purpose, for how long, or whether any or all of it can eventually be connected back to you."
"Yet people continue to use Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and more without giving much thought to the privacy implications of giving up their data to these companies."
[Source: Special Info & Musings for Ottawa Information Professionals]
Respond: make a comment | read the 2 comments
Share:
Email
|
Save as PDF | Print
|
Bookmark & Share
|
|
More: in Substantive Law or Technology | from Michel-Adrien Sheppard
|
the count:
8233 posts | 11421 comments
recent comments  
Max Amsterdam once said: “Business is the art of extracting money from another man’s pocket without resorting to violence.” The purpose of having a written agreement between all … »»Practice There is good leagal content that doesn’t necessarily come in the neat packages that we usually look in. Though our commercial legal database subscriptions have linked, vetted, edited, and easily. […] »»Research When you need to collaborate on a document displayed on your screen, it’s great to have a colleague from down the hall come into your office and look over your … »»Technology
-
Available online today are four new chapters of the publication Women in Canada: A Gender-based Statistical Report, which explores the socio-demographic and economic circumstances of Canadian women in general.
-
The bill amends the Constitution Act, 1867 by readjusting the number of members and the representation of the provinces in the House of Commons.
-
-
Blueseed plans to buy a ship and turn it into a floating incubator anchored in international waters off the coast of California.
-
Under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the flow of information out of Ottawa has slowed to a trickle.
-
-
"…the IPC has exclusive jurisdiction to decide whether a record is in the custody or control of a university in the context of an access request…"
-
-
John J.L. Hunter, Q.C. of Vancouver has been elected President for 2011-2012
-
Detailed results from 321 members.
These summaries of selected recent cases are provided each week to Slaw by Maritime Law Book.
More information.
-
Banks and Banking - Liability of banks to third parties - Negligence - General
The plaintiffs were the former shareholders of a company that failed. They sued the defendant bank alleging that it breached its contract with the company and the plaintiffs and breached a duty ...
-
Actions - Cause of action - General principles - New or extended cause of action - Opening of floodgates
The plaintiff and defendant worked at different branches of the same bank. The defendant’s common-law husband was the plaintiff’s ex-husband. Over a four year period, the defendant ...
-
Aliens - Definitions and general principles - Immigration consultants
The Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC) had been designated as the sole regulatory body of immigration consultants in Canada from 2004 until June 2011. On June 30, 2011, Bill C-35 came into force, which significantly amended ...
-
Criminal Law - Sexual offences, public morals and disorderly conduct - Public morals - Obscenity - Possession of child pornography
The accused was convicted of making child pornography available and two counts of possession of child pornography (see [2010] Sask.R. Uned. 197). Subsequently, he was sentenced ...
-
Criminal Law - Procedure - Charge or directions - Jury or judge alone - Directions regarding pleas or evidence of witnesses, co-accused and accomplices
Rowe was convicted by a jury of five offences. He appealed.
The Ontario Court of Appeal allowed ...
-
Narcotic Control - Offences - Possession - General
The accused wished to access marijuana for medicinal purposes but did not have an authorization to possess marijuana issued under the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations. He was notified that a package of marihuana addressed to him had been ...
-
Narcotic Control - General - Legislation - Exemptions - Medicinal marijuana
McCrady, who had an application pending under the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations (MMAR) to possess and grow marijuana, was convicted of possession of marijuana (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA), s. 4(1)). Hearn pleaded guilty ...
-
Criminal Law - Sentence - Trafficking in hashish or marijuana (incl. possession for purposes of trafficking)
The accused pleaded guilty to one count of possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. He was sentenced to 30 days’ imprisonment to be served intermittently and 11 months’ ...
-
Municipal Law - Powers of municipalities - Particular powers - Imposition and collection of taxes or fees
Catalyst Paper Corp. operated a paper mill in the District of North Cowichan. Catalyst objected to the tax rate that it paid compared to residential ratepayers. In 2009, the ...
This is a listing of a few upcoming events in Canada of interest to lawyers, law students, legal librarians, and others involved in the practice of law.
Clicking on any event in the list below will give you access to more information and to links allowing you to see the full entry and to add the event to your own calendar.
Click this link for a fuller version of the TalkLaw/ParLoi calendar of events and for instructions as to how to add events and calendars to your own calendar.
|
The amount and nature of the data collected about people is shocking.
In my opinion certain clauses in end user license agreement contracts are worthless in ensuring that users' privacy will be protected. Even if Google or some other provider of "free" software commits flagrant violations of their own privacy policies, what could any claimant expect to receive as damages? These are contracts and punitive damages are generally not available as a contract law remedy. The software is free – does the user get a refund of $0 if s/he can prove breach?
If Microsoft lays bare the entire contents of someone's hotmail account and 1) ruins that person's marriage, 2) exposes them to a defamation suit for disseminating nasty comments about someone, and 3) makes public a raft of rather embarrassing purchases of goods or services, what recourse does that person have?
"Clash of Privacy Rights and Unfair Contractual Advantage"
1.8.2009
The majority of all commercial privacy policies are drafted with a view to preserve the sole commercial interest of major commercial/corporate entities to the privacy disadvantage of consumerism.
It is unconscionable to permit contractual manipulation to acquire commercial advantage to the disadvantage of the consumers who are always placed in an unfair position, and having no recourse in the protection of privacy rights to obtain a fair,equitable and expeditious remedy.
Current online privacy legislations must be relooked into to minimise/avert the clash of unfair contractual rights vis-a-vis privacy rights in the E-world of conflict of laws paradigm.
…………….
Jeong Chun phuoc
Lecturer-in-Law
Jeongphu@yahoo.com