Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to accelerate and improve many aspects of health care from diagnostics to treatment. However, the use of AI in health care also raises significant questions about privacy, patient safety, ethics, and transparency. Dr. Devin Singh of Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children speaks about balancing the benefits and risks of this transformative technology. -- L'intelligence artificielle (IA) a le potentiel d'accélérer et d'améliorer de nombreux aspects...

Most of us take our government issued ID for granted. If we lose it, it’s a minor inconvenience. But for people experiencing homelessness, not having valid ID or a fixed address to obtain these documents is a much more serious challenge. Robert Fabes of The Ottawa Mission shares insights on the barriers people experiencing homelessness face and how to provide access to essential services while respecting their privacy and dignity.

From unlocking smartphones to solving crimes, facial recognition technologies are re-shaping identification as we know it. In this episode, we peer into the privacy and human rights implications of facial recognition systems with technology and human rights lawyer Cynthia Khoo.

Info Matters kicks off its fourth season with a unique twist, handing the microphone over to Grade 7 and 8 students from Westboro Academy in Ottawa. They share insights on what privacy means to them, how they navigate digital spaces, and what parents, educators, and regulators can do to support their digital literacy. And their school principal joins the conversation too!

Tune in for riveting conversations about people, privacy, and access to information as Info Matters revisits its most thought-provoking moments from season three. This recap includes a variety of guests talking about cybersecurity, misinformation, genetic data, artificial intelligence, neurotechnology, women’s access rights and more … have a listen!

Networked spaces provide countless opportunities for young people to connect and share ideas and information like never before. But for young women and girls, the online world can be an unfriendly place, fueling self consciousness, self doubt, and fear. University of Ottawa professors Jane Bailey and Valerie Steeves speak about the eQuality project. Its mission is to help young people create a networked environment where they can participate equally, free from surveillance, and identity-based...

“What’s on your mind?” It’s a common question that, with the help of new technologies, may soon yield more personal information than we’d like. Neurotechnology devices can interact directly with the brain to extract information about our thoughts and behaviours and help stimulate certain physical and mental responses. While neurotechnology offers certain health and safety benefits, it also raises significant legal and ethical concerns. In this episode, Jennifer Chandler, a professor at the...

It takes years to build trust in an organization, yet only seconds to bring it all crashing down. Cyber criminals are constantly finding new ways to steal sensitive data and make money from it. Jason Besner, Director of Partnerships at the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, sheds light on the fast-changing digital landscape and provides practical tips for organizations and individuals to protect themselves against cyberattacks.

Access to government-held information has long been recognized as a fundamental right. Unfortunately, for many women today, getting the information they need to receive benefits or services, help support their families, and engage in civic life remains a struggle. Laura Neuman, a senior advisor with the Carter Center, speaks about closing the gender divide and how access to information for women has the power to transform lives.

Engaging with patients, families, and caregivers can help build a better, more inclusive health system. Betty-Lou Kristy, Chair of the Minister’s Patient and Family Advisory Council, speaks about her mission to improve patient care in Ontario by putting patients and families at the center of policy-making. Through their lived experiences in the health system, they work to break down barriers and help build Ontarians’ trust that their data privacy and access rights will be...

Commissioner Kosseim sits down with Dr. Bartha Knoppers, Director of the Centre for Genomics and Policy at McGill University, to discuss the legal and ethical aspects of genetic research for the greater good.

Listen to Commissioners Kosseim and Dufresne speak candidly about some of the challenges and opportunities they face and potential areas for collaboration between their offices. Bilingual episode in English and French.

Misinformation has been called a defining issue of our time, eroding trust in academia, science, and other key pillars of our society. Commissioner Kosseim speaks with Dr. Alex Himelfarb of the Council of Canadian Academies about what we can do about it, and why access to trustworthy, evidence-based information matters more than ever.

While it may sound like science fiction, it’s actually happening today. Law enforcement organizations are using data to predict criminal activity before it occurs. Though predictive policing could make crime reduction more efficient, it also raises real risks to privacy and other human rights. Dr. Christopher Parsons, former associate at the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab and now Senior Technology Advisor at the IPC, talks about some of those risks and how they can be mitigated.

Health influences happiness and overall well-being, but not everyone has fair access to resources that support good health. Health disparities persist, influenced by sociodemographic factors such as age, education, gender, income, and race. What can be done to address health inequity without sacrificing personal privacy? In this episode, Commissioner Kosseim speaks with Dr. Kwame McKenzie, CEO of the Wellesley Institute, about how anonymized data can be used to advance equity in health care...

Strategic foresight is a discipline used by a growing body of experts and organizations. It is a structured and systematic way of gathering information about future operating environments to better prepare for change and make smarter decisions. In this episode, Commissioner Kosseim speaks with the IPC’s Eric Ward, Assistant Commissioner of Strategic Initiatives and External Relations, about how strategic foresight can be used to anticipate and address emerging data issues in Ontario.

We all have a role to play in supporting vulnerable children, youth, and families in our communities. Misunderstandings about privacy can sometimes make people hesitant to share information about potential abuse or neglect with a children’s aid society. On the flip side, overreporting can lead to unwarranted surveillance of vulnerable and marginalized families. In this episode, Commissioner Kosseim speaks with Nicole Bonnie, CEO of the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies. They...

In today’s connected world, children and youth are growing up online, spending more time in front of screens than any generation before them. This episode explores how young people are using digital technologies, what they think about privacy, and how parents, teachers, and regulators can help them develop the skills they need to be informed digital citizens. Commissioner Kosseim speaks with Keith Baybayon, the former president of the Ontario Student Trustees Association, the largest student...

Child welfare records can follow kids even after they’ve aged out of the system. That’s the reality former foster kids face as they begin their adult lives, shadowed by deeply personal histories recorded in files that are accessible to others. This can affect their job prospects, their chance of adopting, or be used as ammunition in child custody disputes. Jane Kovarikova, founder of the Child Welfare Political Action Committee, is helping former foster kids reclaim control over their...

Data is the engine of the modern economy, a key driver of innovation and growth. While the power of data is undeniable, questions emerge about the impact of digital transformation on our human rights, our collective well-being, and the state of our democracy. Commissioner Kosseim speaks with Jim Balsillie, retired co-CEO of Research In Motion (BlackBerry) and founder of the Centre for International Governance Innovation about the most pressing public policy issue of our time.

In recent years a global movement has taken shape, calling for greater scrutiny of interactions between citizens and police. Cameras worn by police officers have emerged as a tool to support greater transparency and accountability, documenting what an officer sees and hears on the job. What are their benefits and risks? How do they impact police-community relations? And what kinds of questions should citizens be asking about these cameras? In this episode, Commissioner Kosseim speaks with...

This episode explores the role of civic engagement in fostering greater government transparency and clearer privacy policies that work for everyday people. Commissioner Kosseim speaks with community activist and bestselling author Dave Meslin about barriers that keep people from engaging in societal issues and ways of overcoming them to effect change.

Millions of people around the world are purchasing DNA testing kits and uploading their results to genealogy websites to trace their family trees. Police services are making use of this genetic information too, looking for matches with DNA samples left at crime scenes to solve cold cases. Commissioner Kosseim speaks with renowned DNA forensics expert Dr. Frederick Bieber about the use of these investigative techniques by police and the potential privacy risks for people who participate in...

New artificial intelligence technologies now make it possible to create fake versions of personal information that look and feel a lot like the real thing but are different enough to protect individual privacy. In this episode, Commissioner Kosseim speaks with Dr. Khaled El Emam about how synthetic datasets are made from real patient data and how they can be used to advance important health research while minimizing privacy risks.