Statement by Minister Bains and Minister Gould on the Privacy Commissioner findings on Facebook privacy practices

April 25, 2019 – Ottawa, Ontario

The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, and the Honourable Karina Gould, Minister of Democratic Institutions, made the following statement:

“Social media platforms play a meaningful role in promoting a healthy and resilient democracy. They provide a forum for sharing ideas, and enable Canadians to engage in a dialogue about important issues and facilitate economic activity. But they also have a responsibility to manage their communities.

“Facebook must back up its commitment to protect Canadians’ personal data with consistent and measurable actions. It is clear that Canadians expect and deserve greater transparency and control over the use of their personal information.

“We thank the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for B.C. for their findings today, which reinforce the need for companies to be held accountable for their behaviour.

“Our government has taken immediate action to address these concerns including the modernization of the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, which could result in fines of up to $100,000 for companies failing to comply.  We have also introduced measures in Bill C-76, the Elections Modernization Act, and more work is being done to position Canada as a global leader in the digital economy.

“Our government continues to engage with online platforms and communicate our expectations. We expect greater action and specific measures to increase transparency, authenticity, integrity, and to combat the spread of disinformation. We also recognize the importance of privacy and trust as a linchpin of Canada’s leadership in the data and digital world and will be taking concrete actions in the area in the coming weeks.”