Announcement

OPC shares views on bill to restrict young persons’ access to sexually explicit material online

June 2, 2021

Privacy Commissioner of Canada Daniel Therrien and Martyn Turcotte, Director of the OPC’s Technology Analysis Directorate, appeared today before the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs to discuss Bill S-203, An Act to restrict young persons’ online access to sexually explicit material.

In his remarks, Commissioner Therrien noted that the OPC supports efforts to incorporate special consideration for children’s rights in the digital environment, including through implementing privacy safeguards that specifically address their interests. 

He also indicated the risks created by the collection and use of data needed to verify age speaks to the need for clear standards to ensure that age-verification methods are designed and implemented with appropriate privacy protections.