Canada sets guidelines for online tracking.

• Position: PRIVACY - Brief article

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Canada Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart has announced new federal guidelines instructing advertisers, websites, and browser developers on what they can and can't do when it comes to tracking people online.

According to the guidelines, "online behavioural advertising may be considered a reasonable purpose under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), provided it is carried out under certain parameters, and is not made a condition of service."

Stoddart said the guidelines were developed to help organizations involved in online behavioral advertising ensure their practices are fair, transparent, and in compliance with PIPEDA.

"The use of online behavioral advertising has exploded, and we're concerned that Canadians' privacy rights aren't always being respected," said Stoddart. "Many Canadians don't know how they're being tracked--and that's no surprise because, in too many cases, they have to dig down to the bottom of a long and legalistic privacy policy to find out."

According to The Montreal Gazette, the guidelines clearly...