Announcement

Privacy Commissioner meets with Asia-Pacific counterparts

June 21, 2024

Privacy Commissioner of Canada Philippe Dufresne joined a virtual two-day meeting of the Asia-Pacific Privacy Forum (APPA) with international counterparts this week to discuss issues of common interest such as privacy enforcement, awareness and outreach, as well as law reform and legislative developments.

“Collaboration with international colleagues amplifies our collective impact in protecting and promoting the fundamental right to privacy,” said Commissioner Dufresne. “I value this opportunity for pragmatic exchanges with my fellow privacy regulators and key stakeholders in the Asia-Pacific region.”

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) led a discussion on age assurance during the meeting. Earlier this month, Commissioner Dufresne launched an exploratory consultation on the privacy implications of age-assurance systems, to gather input on how and when online services should confirm the age of a user in order to restrict young people from accessing certain content and apply other age-related practices.

Commissioner Dufresne spoke about his strategic plan in his jurisdiction report to the Forum. He also provided updates on international working groups led by the OPC, including the Global Privacy Assembly’s Digital Citizen and Consumer Working Group, and Data Protection and Other Rights and Freedoms Working Group, which recently launched a global Privacy and Human Rights Award that will be presented at RightsCon in Taipei, Taiwan in February 2025.

This was the 61st APPA Forum. APPA members meet twice a year, drawing together regulators from across the Asia Pacific region, as well as guests from industry, think tanks, trade associations, and privacy regulators from outside the region, to discuss global privacy issues. It was chaired by the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia Michael Harvey.