CIPPIC complaint raises a number of novel and interesting issues

The Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinc (CIPPIC) has complained to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada against an American company that harvests databases and public records to produce reports that include, in some cases, supposed psychosexual profiles. Accusearch (d/b/a/ Abika.com), which a takes a dim view of "privacy fanatics", is said to aggressively mine databases to produce their background checks, physchological profiles and the like.

CIPPIC, in its complaint filed in June, is alleging that Abika is collecting, using and disclosing the personal information of Canadians without consent, in violation of PIPEDA. The complaint also alleges that Abika violates the accuracy principle of PIPEDA by producing inaccurate reports.

This complaint is likely important in that the Commissioner will be forced to consider whether the activities of a US company, operating in the US, may violate PIPEDA. Of course, the next question is whether the Commissioner or the complainant can do anything about it.

For more info, see the Canadian Press report: Yahoo! News - U.S. firm's sale of personal data about Canadians sparks complaint.

The following is from the CIPPIC website, including a link to their complaint.

Abika.com (June 9, 2004)

After researching this online private investigation service, CIPPIC filed a complaint with the federal Privacy Commissioner alleging that the company's entire service is based on fundamental and widespread violations of privacy legislation. Abika.com collects often highly sensitive personal information from various sources, and sells it to anyone willing to pay the associated fee.

Update: On the first version of this posting, I mistakenly attributed the complaint to the Public Interest Advocacy Centre.