Technological advancements have changed the way Ontario’s public institutions develop policy and design service delivery programs. Governments are collecting more data than ever before, and are taking advantage of powerful computing and analytical models. Many believe that big data analytics support evidence-based decision making and fuel innovation by enabling public policy makers to gain insights from data faster and in previously unimagined ways, including predicting human behaviour. Others caution about the effect this kind of data collection may have on the privacy of Ontarians.
On January 26, 2017, the IPC will recognize international Data Privacy Day by gathering experts in the fields of government, data integration and Ontario’s privacy laws to examine this topic and look at the challenges that public sector professionals must address as they strive to harness the potential that big data has to offer.
We will discuss topics such as: How can we ensure that the privacy rights of Ontarians are respected and personal information is managed appropriately and fairly in a big data world? How do we ensure transparency and that results and findings are accurate and non-discriminatory? How can we protect an individual’s right to challenge findings that are based on these powerful analytical tools?
This is a free event. For more information and to register, visit Government and Big Data: Privacy Risks and Solutions.
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