I was recently interviewed by CTV Rajeev Dhir and CBC Megan Benedictson regarding a pen-shaped ‘spy’ video camera discovered in the staff change room of a Winnipeg public swimming pool. Check out the links above if the story if of interest to you.
Spy-cam found in local swimming pool change room: Interviews
March 14, 2012
Leave a Comment » | 
Monitoring, Privacy, Technology | Tagged: Information Technology, Privacy, Video Surveillance | 
Permalink
Posted by Brian Bowman
When Barbie invades your privacy
November 19, 2010
Mattel’s Barbie doll is now wired. Literally.
The new Barbie Video Girl, which retails for just over $100, has a built-in camera in the doll’s necklace and an LCD screen on her back. The doll also comes equipped with a USB cable that enables you to transfer video recordings to your home computer and then online to YouTube or Facebook.
Not surprisingly, some are calling for a ban on Barbie Video Girl because of the potential that children will post online videos which infringe their privacy. Should we ban Barbie Video Girl? If so, should we ban all children’s toys with cameras? Read more>>
Leave a Comment » | Internet, Monitoring, Privacy, Technology | Tagged: Internet, Privacy, Video Surveillance | Permalink
Posted by Brian Bowman
Is covert surveillance ever legal?
June 10, 2010
A former administrator in the Rural Municipality of La Broquerie has alleged that town politicians installed hidden video surveillance cameras in nearly every room in the municipality offices to secretly spy on rival councillors, staff and even the public.
Manitoba’s Ombudsman is investigating these explosive allegations. If they are true, it is very hard to image a legal defence. But can the use of covert video surveillance ever be legal?
Leave a Comment » | Employee Monitoring, Monitoring, Ombudsman, Privacy, Video Surveillance | Tagged: Manitoba, Manitoba Ombudsman, Privacy, Video Surveillance, Workplace Surveillance | Permalink
Posted by Brian Bowman
Camera ban missed privacy point
March 25, 2010
Last week’s widely reported ruling by Judge Tim Preston that cameras will not be permitted into the Brian Sinclair inquest hinged largely on a desire to protect the privacy rights of witnesses.
But what if some individual witnesses don’t have privacy concerns and actually want their testimony broadcast to the world?
Leave a Comment » | Media, Personal Information, Privacy, Technology, Video Surveillance | Tagged: Court, Media, Personal Information, Privacy, Technology, Video Surveillance | Permalink
Posted by Brian Bowman
Businesses should learn from 2010 Olympics surveillance camera debate
February 16, 2010
The 2010 Olympics are finally here! So too are the reportedly pervasive crowd surveillance cameras that are monitoring spectators’ every move.
Privacy advocates are already voicing concern. But unlike previous public debates regarding privacy and surveillance cameras, I expect that the concerns that’ll be raised during and after the 2010 Olympics will be more comprehensive than the traditional “privacy vs security” debate. For instance, Jennifer Stoddart, Canada’s Privacy Commissioner, recently commented on this blog that “one of the big issues will revolve around the pervasive crowd surveillance measures, and what will happen with all of the cameras and recordings after the flame is extinguished.”
Of course, there are legal tests that governments (and businesses) should use to determine the appropriateness of installing surveillance cameras in the first place. But once any organization has decided to install surveillance cameras there’s a corresponding requirement to appropriately manage the data that’s collected. For instance, organizations must ensure that they have security, retention and destruction policies in place. This is the “devil in the detail” that’s often overlooked.
I expect public scrutiny of the surveillance cameras being used during the 2010 Olympics. And such scrutiny will increase public expectations on businesses to properly manage data that they too collect by surveillance cameras.
2 Comments | Monitoring, Privacy, Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Safeguarding, Security, Technology, Video Surveillance | Tagged: Olympics, Privacy, Privacy Commissioner, Safeguards, Security, Video Surveillance | Permalink
Posted by Brian Bowman
Guidelines aid in use of surveillance cameras
February 10, 2009
Guidelines aid in use of surveillance cameras
My column of June 4, 2008 in the Winnipeg Free Press describes the guidelines published by the Privacy Commissioner of Canada jointly with the privacy commissioners of British Columbia and Alberta, and how businesses can use them to remain compliant with the law.
Leave a Comment » | Privacy, Security, Technology, Video Surveillance | Tagged: Businesses, Privacy, Privacy Commissioner, Security, Technology, Video Surveillance, Workplace Surveillance | Permalink
Posted by Brian Bowman
Identity theft, loss of privacy face people in a wired world
February 5, 2009
Identity theft, loss of privacy face people in a wired world
My February 7, 2005 column in the Winnipeg Free Press concerns identity theft and workplace surveillance.
Leave a Comment » | Identity Theft, Online Reputation Management, Privacy, Video Surveillance | Tagged: Identity Theft, Information Technology, Online Reputation Management, PIPEDA, Privacy, Video Surveillance, Workplace Surveillance | Permalink
Posted by Brian Bowman
