Yukon’s IPC releases Guidance for Public Bodies on the Use of Video Surveillance

Mon, Jul 07, 2014

News Release

WHITEHORSE – Today Yukon’s Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC) issued guidance designed to assist public bodies determine:

• when it is appropriate to use video surveillance,
• the requirements that must be met under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act if personal information will be collected, used, and disclosed through video surveillance, and
• what, at minimum, a video surveillance policy must contain to adequately protect personal information.

Diane McLeod-McKay, Yukon’s IPC, indicated she prepared the guidance after receiving multiple requests from public bodies to provide comments in relation to video surveillance policies being developed. She had this to say about the use of video surveillance by Yukon public bodies:

While I commend public bodies for developing policies for the use of video surveillance where personal information will be collected, used, and disclosed, I caution them on the overuse of this type of technology.
Video surveillance is one of the most privacy invasive tools. It should be used as a last resort and only after other less privacy invasive tools have been considered. Before a public body decides to use video surveillance, it should carefully weigh the benefits to be gained by its use against the privacy rights of Yukoners. A decision to use video surveillance should only be made after a public body determines that the benefits to be gained significantly outweigh Yukoners’ right to privacy. All too often, public bodies identify cost savings as the reason to use video surveillance. In my view, cost savings is not by itself a sufficient enough reason to infringe upon Yukoners’ privacy rights.

To view the guidance click here. For more information about the privacy risks associated with the use of video surveillance or if Yukoners have concerns about the improper use of video surveillance, please contact the IPC’s Office.