Welcome to the age of the data shadow.

A very vital element of democracy is that everyone is entitled to freedom of speech and expression. Many of us have heard on the news that Bill C-30 is the most daunting piece of legislation that will lead to the vanishing of so-called internet liberty. It is without doubt that Bill C-30 would threaten the fundamental civil liberty that guarantees democracy. However, little did we know that the government already has a lot of private information in their hands.

The term “data shadow” refers to the shadow that follows you in your daily activities. The article poignantly points out, “From tracking your movement with automated licence plate readers to attaching a name to your face in a crowd using biometric recognition of driver’s licence photos; from bureaucrats and politicians reading your health records to police analyzing your income and spending habits, if push came to shove, the information on you in the government’s reach is immense”.

For example, on the financial side of things, there is “enormous databanks of the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FinTRAC), a government agency collecting and disclosing information on suspected money laundering and terrorist financing”. It is with a lot of opposition and efforts spent did the Legal industry get exempted from the checks of FinTRAC.

It is hard not to think that we are being monitored by Big Brother constantly. In an age where technology is readily available and convenient, it only opens up more channels for the government to monitor our activities. The only way to safeguard our fundamental rights and freedoms under the Charter is to be on guard of the unnecessary invasion of our privacy. Awareness is key to ensuring that our democratic system is still in place.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/02/17/bill-c-30-may-give-the-government-new-surveillance-powers-but-its-shocking-what-they-already-know/