Social media, activism and privacy

‘With the rush to be online, is there still a place for privacy?’
May 15, 2009

We’ve moved beyond experimentation
Forget about the 11 million Canadians on Facebook –
the Pope has a YouTube channel!

Community building and technology go hand-in-hand in Canada

Our idea of community is changing - rapidly

Many communities are subtly shaped 1/3
By marketers
Sick boy w/ the Cool T shirt

By activists

By politicians

How are communities defined today?
Not by shared history
Not by vague affinities
But by action

Canadians are learning how to:
establish an online identity
express themselves - forcefully
expect more – from everybody

What is the effect on government?
tech-savvy activists aren’t waiting for us to act
they are creating the tools and the resources
they are making information free and flexible

The examples are international, pt. 1
In the United Kingdom, the government is experimenting with:
Online consultations
Ministerial blogs
Twittering of Prime Ministerial visits abroad

The examples are international, pt. 2
In the United States, the administration is forcing:
Increased transparency
Open access to government data and info
More responsive processes
Implementing all the tools at once

Canadians are learning to expect a response:
quickly
with authority
and with a solution

Which isn’t really our strength

What are WE doing in response?
Monitoring
Developing pilot projects
Rolling out tools appropriate to the situation

Crisis Communications: a perfect example
Public Health Agency’s
H1N1 outreach efforts
Public Safety’s
Emergency Preparedness Campaign

Public Education: digital tools prove flexible
youthprivacy.ca
dpi.priv.gc.ca
blog.privcom.gc.ca

What about privacy?
The process of creating and maintaining an online identity is messy

Our understanding of privacy evolves
over time
cultural differences
generational differences

What was that about messy?
online tools are constantly evolving
privacy protections vary from site to site, and from service to service
Canadians are still learning what information to share, and what to safeguard

If Canadians were cautious, rational and unemotional, they would:
second guess every decision to share personal information with their social networks
constantly audit the information collected about them by online services, corporations and governments

Canadians face two significant privacy challenges
Many sites continue to collect too much personal information
They’re learning how build online relationships with friends, colleagues, businesses and governments

Their biggest obstacle?
Every conversation online is treated just like a chat at the dinner table
But there’s a permanent record of it

The repercussions are real
employment risks
social ostracism
civil and criminal
consequences

The particular risks of public sector participation
Experience in the U.K. and the US has shown that public sector employees are reluctant to use social media.
The U.K. and New Zealand governments have established very simple guidelines that encourage innovation but emphasize responsibility.

Conclusion
Provide users with the tools to control their own personal information
Establish an environment that encourages the use of these new tools – by citizens and by employees
Set clear guidelines about how and when you will use these tools to communicate with Canadians.

Bridging the Gaps
Aim for better mutual understanding and accommodation
Provide clear, user-friendly information about privacy policies
Give users tools to set and enforce privacy controls

Colin McKay
cmckay@privcom.gc.ca

Social media, activism and privacy

by Colin McKay

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