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Review of Privacy Commissioners' websites [1999] PLBIRp 11; (1999) 47 Privacy Laws and Business International Report 18

Review of Privacy Commissioners' & Data Protection Authorities' websites

SIXTEEN NATIONAL DATA PROTECTION authorities now have homepages on the Internet. The best sites offer invaluable information about different policies, as well as practical guidance. Please note that most of these sites are frequently updated. Let us know your favourite privacy-related websites!

AUSTRALIA

http://www.privacy.gov.au

The Australian site has separate web pages for privacy issues and legislation affecting the private and public sectors. It is possible to download the Principles for the Fair Handling of Personal Information (February 1998), details of the Telecommunication Act 1997 which affect the private sector and the Public Interest Determination Procedure Guidelines for the public sector. The site is user-friendly and provides information about current issues such as PGP encryption software and privacy protection across the Internet. There is some particularly useful information about complaints received by the authority and frequently asked questions.

BELGIUM

http://www.privacy.fgov.be

Belgium Data Protection Commission's website includes mainly information and papers from the Data Protection Commissioners' 19th International Conference, which the Commission organised in September 1997. The conference papers are available in English or French. Other information, which is available in French and in Flemish, includes the Commission's Annual Report of 1996, and an activity report of the Schengen Information System for the period of March 1995 to March 1997. There are also links to other Privacy Commissioners' sites and to the Belgian Federal Government.

CANADA

http://www.infoweb.magi.com/~privcan/

This is a bi-lingual site, available for viewing either in English or French. The site is a good resource facility providing access to numerous publications including the 1997-1998 Annual Report. There are several interesting fact sheets available via the web including "Surfing Safely in Cyberspace" and "Faxing Personal Information." The publications and speeches available for downloading date back to 1992. There are details of legislation and Government offices governing access to information and privacy in all the Canadian provinces (e.g. Quebec, British Columbia).

BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA

http://www.oipbc.org

This site is user-friendly and hosts a wealth of information ranging from the current Annual Report (1997/1998) to a site visit report at the Cancer Agency of British Columbia. There is also an events page which lists past and upcoming conferences and workshops. The press releases are updated regularly, and various documents are available for viewing including useful guidelines on how to protect privacy when using e-mail and fax.

ONTARIO, CANADA

http://www.ipc.on.ca

The Office of the Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner's website provides a wealth of information in English and French. Visitors to the site can read the Information and Privacy Acts, Annual Reports, press releases, reports, investigations, judicial reviews, orders and policy papers. There is also a search function, and links to other privacy sites. Current news and reports are easily accessible in a "what's new" section.

QUEBEC, CANADA

http://www.cai.gouv.qc.ca

Quebec's Commission d'accès à l'information, the Data Protection Authority, has posted various reports and publications on its website (in French). For example, the 1996-97 Annual Report is available. The site also includes laws governing data protection and freedom of information in Quebec, and a link to decisions made by the Commission. Latest news can be easily found under a separate heading.

DENMARK

http://www.registertilsynet.dk

Denmark's Data Protection Authority's website includes up-to-date information about the state of the new legislation, and data protection issues with regard to the Internet, credit reference agencies, security and compiling registers. There are also publications and reports. Apart from a short introduction to the Authority's work in English, the texts are in Danish.

FINLAND

http://www.tietosuoja.fi

Finland's Data Protection Ombudsman's website provides a great deal of practical advice to data controllers on how to comply with the law (in Finnish). The site includes links to both national laws and the EU Data Protection Directive, as well as Council of Europe documents. A useful search function is also available. The site also has information about the Finnish data protection journal, and other publications. For foreign visitors, there is an introduction to Finnish data protection in Swedish and in English.

FRANCE

http://www.cnil.fr

Available for viewing only in French, the site is simple to navigate your way around, even if your knowledge of French is basic. The News Section is regularly up-dated and there is access to various data protection related documents including the text of the Council of Europe Convention 108 and the EU Data Protection Directive. There is a search facility to help locate a particular item. One of the best features of the site is a section entitled "Your Traces" which is also available in English. This section provides a detailed account of how an individual's use of the Internet can be tracked.

GERMANY

http://www.datenschutz.de

The start-up page includes information in German about data protection legislation at the national level, new technologies, press releases, latest news and a data protection newsletter. The site is hosted by the Berlin Data Protection Authority, which has its own pages at www.datenschutzberlin.de. The Berlin site, which is one of the most informative ones, provides much information in German and English. It has an excellent collection of international regulations, Privacy Commissioners' resolutions and recommendations, and future privacy conferences. The site also includes a useful summary of articles published on privacy in German newspapers and magazines. This feature is updated every weekday. The Berlin site also provides links to EU directives and Council of Europe materials. Websites hosted by other Länder (state) Data Protection Authorities can also be accessed through the Berlin site. The other Länder that have a presence on the Internet are: Baden-Württemberg, Bayern, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Hessen, Niedersachsen, Rheinland- Pfalz, Saarland, Schleswig-Holstein and Thüringen.

HONG KONG

http://www.pco.org.hk

The Hong Kong bi-lingual site is available for viewing in Chinese (Mandarin) or English. It is one of the more aesthetically pleasing sites. There is a vast quantity of information available from papers such as "The Asian status with respect to the observance of the OECD Guidelines and the EU Directive" to "Codes of Practice on Identity Cards and Consumer Credit Data." Full and edited versions of the Ordinance are also available. There is an informative section on the structure of the Privacy Commissioner's Office. Although it does not have a links page, the site is used to its maximum potential in terms of providing visitors to the page with as much accessible information as possible. The site is also updated regularly.

ISLE OF MAN

http://www.odpr.org

This site is extremely user-friendly. It provides useful background information about the Isle of Man's Data Protection Office and its functions. There are helpful notes on the registration process for the Isle of Man, in addition to some interesting papers such as "Privacy and the Legal Aspects of the Information Superhighway." The full text of the Isle of Man Data Protection Act 1986 can also be downloaded.

ITALY

http://www.privacy.it

Although this website is not hosted by the Italian Data Protection Authority, "Garante," it includes the text of the Italian law, and a link to Garante. Documents, which are available only in Italian, include regulations, press releases, authorisations, guidance notes, the Annual Report of 1997, and current newspaper articles written by the Data Protection Commissioner and the Secretary General. The site also includes an excellent collection of links to other privacy sites around the world, and information about an Internet Conference which the Garante organised in Rome in May 1998.

THE NETHERLANDS

http://cwis.kub.nl/~dbi/regkamer

The Netherlands Data Protection Commissioner's website includes annual reports from 1992-1997, plus a number of reports and general information about the work of the Commissioner's office. The texts are available only in Dutch.

NEW ZEALAND

http://www.privacy.org.nz

The New Zealand Privacy Commissioner's website provides much information for both data subjects and data controllers. The text of the current law is accessible, and companies are also advised on how to comply with it. Other information includes current news, fact sheets, reports, annual reviews from 1995 to 1997, and an update on the review of the Privacy Act. In addition, the pages include a search function, and it is even possible to order mugs and mouse mats that feature privacy cartoons!

NORWAY

http://www.datatilsynet.no

The Norwegian Data Protection Authority's site provides news about current data protection issues in Norway, press releases and other information materials. Annual Reports from 1994 to 1996 are also available. There is also some information in English: a general description of the Data Protection Authority and its work, and a translation of the Norwegian 1978 Data Registers Act.

PORTUGAL

http://www.cnpdpi.pt

The site is in Portuguese although the 1997 Portugal Commission's Report is available in English. The texts of various Data Protection laws can be downloaded including old data protection laws (Numbers 10/91 and 28/94) as well as the more recent law, (No 67/98) which implements the EU Data Protection Directive, and was passed on October 26th 1998. The 1997 Commission Report contains an interesting table which catalogues the complaints received by the Portuguese authority. The reason and the source of the complaint, the type of company (e.g. mail order), against whom the complaint is registered and the outcome are all listed.

SPAIN

http://www.ag-protecciondatos.es

The site can be viewed only in Spanish although an English translation of the document, "Recommendations for Internet Users," is available. It is possible to access the Public Register from the site and practical guidelines are offered to correspond with various registration forms. Basic knowledge of Spanish will enable quick navigation through the site.

SWEDEN

http://www.din.se/index.html

The Swedish Data Protection Authority has a very informative website, but only for those who can read Swedish. In addition to an introduction to the authority's work, data protection laws and regulations, it is possible to read the authority's newsletter, press releases and latest news. The site also includes links to other privacy pages, and information about education material for schools. The text of the new Swedish data protection law can also be accessed.

SWITZERLAND

http://www.edsb.ch

The site is available for viewing in four different languages, German, French, English and Italian. However the majority of Annual Reports, publications and press releases are available only in French or German. The press releases are updated regularly and the Annual Reports are available from 1993/1994 to 1997/1998.

UNITED KINGDOM

http://www.open.gov.uk/dpr/dprhome.htm

The UK Data Protection Registrar's website provides detailed guidance about the 1984 Data Protection Act, and some preliminary guidance about the 1998 Act. Guidance notes, which apply the 1984 law to specific issues are available, as well as an explanation of the provisions of the 1984 law in plain English. It is also possible to get access to annual reports 1995-1998, and the Public Register of data users. Other materials include press releases, general information about the office, duties of the Registrar, and current events. Recommendations of the EU Data Protection (Article 29) Working Party are also available. In addition, there is a section of specialist papers which includes, for example, the Registrar's responses to consultation papers.