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Difference between revisions of "Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy"
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Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (view source)
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{{Dial-A-Law TOC|expanded = rights}} | {{Dial-A-Law TOC|expanded = rights}} | ||
=Freedom of information= | |||
==You have a right to certain information== | ==You have a right to certain information== | ||
BC’s ''[http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/96165_00 Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act]'' (called FIPPA in this script) gives you the right to see many records kept by provincial government ministries and other public bodies - including records of your personal information, such as your name, address, age, employment history, educational background. Public bodies include provincial government ministries, local municipalities, schools and school boards, hospitals and health authorities, local police forces, colleges and universities, and self-governing bodies such as the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia and the Law Society of British Columbia. | BC’s ''[http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/96165_00 Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act]'' (called FIPPA in this script) gives you the right to see many records kept by provincial government ministries and other public bodies - including records of your personal information, such as your name, address, age, employment history, educational background. Public bodies include provincial government ministries, local municipalities, public schools and school boards, hospitals and health authorities, local police forces, colleges and universities, and self-governing bodies such as the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia and the Law Society of British Columbia. | ||
In addition, BC’s ''[http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/03063_01 Personal Information Protection Act]'' (PIPA in this script) gives you the right to see your personal information held by organizations in the private sector in BC. Organizations include stores, unions, hotels and restaurants, doctors, not-for-profit agencies, credit unions (but not chartered banks) and many others. Under PIPA, you can ask an organization for access to your personal information that it has, or explain how it has used your personal information and who it has given your information to. You can also ask for information on the organization’s privacy policy. | In addition, BC’s ''[http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/03063_01 Personal Information Protection Act]'' (PIPA in this script) gives you the right to see your personal information held by organizations in the private sector in BC. Organizations include stores, unions, hotels and restaurants, doctors in private practice, not-for-profit agencies, credit unions (but not chartered banks) and many others. Under PIPA, you can ask an organization for access to your personal information that it has, or explain how it has used your personal information and who it has given your information to. You can also ask for information on the organization’s privacy policy. | ||
==How do you ask for information?== | ==How do you ask for information?== | ||
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FIPPA gives public bodies 30 business days to respond to your request. They can’t charge you any fees for your own personal information, but they can charge you fees for finding, copying, retrieving, and producing records not related to your personal information. You can ask them to waive the fees if you can’t afford them, or if the information is in the public interest. | FIPPA gives public bodies 30 business days to respond to your request. They can’t charge you any fees for your own personal information, but they can charge you fees for finding, copying, retrieving, and producing records not related to your personal information. You can ask them to waive the fees if you can’t afford them, or if the information is in the public interest. | ||
Private organizations also have 30 business days to respond to your request. They can’t charge you a fee for your own employee personal information. But they can charge a | Private organizations also have 30 business days to respond to your request. They can’t charge you a fee for your own employee personal information. But they can charge a small fee to access your other personal information—not employee personal information. | ||
==Some information isn’t available== | ==Some information isn’t available== | ||
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An organization must make reasonable efforts to ensure that your personal information is accurate and complete. You can ask a public body to correct any factual error or omission (but not opinions or judgments) in your personal information. If the public body refuses your request, FIPPA requires them to mark your information with the correction you requested. You can also ask a private organization to correct any inaccurate personal information. If you are not happy with the decision of the public body or organization, you can ask the Commissioner to review it. | An organization must make reasonable efforts to ensure that your personal information is accurate and complete. You can ask a public body to correct any factual error or omission (but not opinions or judgments) in your personal information. If the public body refuses your request, FIPPA requires them to mark your information with the correction you requested. You can also ask a private organization to correct any inaccurate personal information. If you are not happy with the decision of the public body or organization, you can ask the Commissioner to review it. | ||
==You | =Protection of privacy= | ||
==You have a right to privacy== | |||
Both FIPPA and PIPA protect your right to privacy by regulating how public bodies and private organizations collect, use, and give out (or disclose) personal information. Public bodies and organizations can use personal information only for the purposes they collect it for, unless they get your consent to use it for another reason. Organizations and public bodies must ensure that they don’t give out personal information without proper authorization. | Both FIPPA and PIPA protect your right to privacy by regulating how public bodies and private organizations collect, use, and give out (or disclose) personal information. Public bodies and organizations can use personal information only for the purposes they collect it for, unless they get your consent to use it for another reason. Organizations and public bodies must ensure that they don’t give out personal information without proper authorization. | ||
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[updated | [updated January 2018] | ||
