PlaceSpeak recognized as Privacy by Design Ambassador
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We are pleased to announce that PlaceSpeak has been selected as a Privacy by Design Ambassador. The Privacy by Design ambassador designation recognizes PlaceSpeak’s commitment to the protection of personal information and our persistent efforts in ensuring privacy by default.
This Privacy by Design designation recognizes PlaceSpeak’s commitment to ensure that real citizens—not trolls, phantoms or internet marauders—are engaged in respectful dialogue about issues that matter in our society, without the conflict of public meetings or being subject to unwanted advertising. This is precisely what we envisioned when we enacted the first FOI legislation while I was Premier of British Columbia.
—Mike Harcourt, PlaceSpeak Board Chair
The Privacy by Design (PbD) ambassador designation recognizes organizations that have met the highest standards of incorporating the Seven Foundational Principles of Privacy by Design, as set out by PbD. The platform seeks to enhance participatory democracy, civic engagement, and improve the public consultation process, while preserving the privacy of our users.
From its inception, PlaceSpeak understood the importance of protecting online identity, while simultaneously generating verifiable, location-based evidence. In order to build trust and transparency, nothing less than a Privacy by Design approach could satisfy these dual demands.
—Colleen Hardwick, PlaceSpeak CEO and Founder
About Privacy by Design
Privacy by Design is a framework that was developed by the former Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, Canada, Dr. Ann Cavoukian. Privacy by Design advances the view that the future of privacy cannot be assured solely by compliance with legislation and regulatory frameworks; rather, privacy assurance must become an organization’s default mode of operation.
The objectives of Privacy by Design — ensuring privacy and gaining personal control over one’s information and, for organizations, gaining a sustainable competitive advantage — may be accomplished by practicing the 7 Foundational Principles.
In October 2010, Privacy by Design was recognized as the global privacy standard in a landmark resolution by the International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners in Jerusalem. Since then, the 7 Foundational Principles of PbD has been translated in over 30 official languages.
About the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
The Information and Privacy Commissioner is appointed by, and reports to, the Ontario Legislative Assembly, and is independent of the government of the day. The Commissioner’s mandate includes overseeing the access and privacy provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, as well as the Personal Health Information Protection Act, which applies to both public and private sector health information custodians. The Commissioner’s mandate also includes helping to educate the public about access and privacy issues.
