Protection of Privacy Q&A
What information is not protected under the FIPPA?
Information such as an employee's name, title, business address or phone number and remuneration.
If I am responsible for a committee that disseminates minutes, are there any precautions that I should take before distributing the minutes?
Most minutes contain information that is of a public record nature so there should be no concerns about distributing the minutes to others besides the committee members. If, however, the minutes deal with information of a personal nature - by naming or otherwise identifying individuals - precaution should be taken. The document should be marked "confidential" and should not be distributed to people other than committee members and, possibly, the individual(s) named in the minutes. Committee members should also take precaution when storing minutes that contain personal information. If a third party requests access to such minutes, please consult the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Coordinator.
In relation to FIPPA, are there any concerns around the use of Canadian web survey companies? Do you happen to know of any that we can recommend?
There are privacy issues even with Canadian web survey tools and personal information must be protected by our public body. The Office of Institutional Analysis & Planning may be able to help with names of Canadian companies to recommend to researchers.
What about photos and other information that I want to include on my web page?
Contact Marketing and Communications Services.
What does Kwantlen do to protect privacy?
Employees must sign a letter of employment agreeing to abide by the institution’s policies. This includes Policy C4 Confidentiality of Student Records and Files. Employees are trained in the handling of sensitive student information.
Can personal information be stored outside of Canada if the individual is made aware of the risks and he/she consents to the data storage despite the risks?
Students may use foreign web survey tools if they understand the implications of having their information stored in the US (or wherever) and they give their consent to that. Web based surveys should be conducted using Canadian web survey tools unless the participants have consented to their specified information being stored or accessed from outside of Canada, or unless the survey is anonymous and the participants have consented to the use of their email addresses.
