Thursday, April 21, 2011

The Government and Internet Privacy: Is Canada the next China?

Canada was recently called into an election, which means any pending bills are dead on paper. The winning party can decide to reintroduce legislation from parliament’s last session – or not. One such piece of legislation is a bill which grants Canada’s federal police force permission to demand a person’s Internet activity – including emails and instant messages – without a court order. If this bill is passed, Canadians will face unprecedented privacy concerns. The short-term solution? A VPN service for your computer and/or mobile device.

As technology evolves and the Internet continues to change the way we communicate, governments all over the world are faced with the difficult task of regulating online activity without overstepping the boundaries of their constitutions. When it comes to digital issues, governments need to find a balance between protecting citizens and preserving their rights to privacy.

One of the concerns of this bill is the potential for abuse. If the federal police force can access an individual’s Internet activity without a court order then who is preventing this law from being abused? Without some form of oversight, Canadians will have to live in fear that their privacy could be violated at any given time. So, if the constitution isn’t enough to uphold their privacy, Canadian citizens will have to look elsewhere.

A VPN service makes all Internet use completely private and secure. Canadians who value privacy should consider using this Internet security solution if they aren’t already. Only time will tell who wins the election and whether or not this legislation will be supported by the winning party. No matter where you live in the world: instead of waiting for the government to determine Internet privacy laws, be proactive with a VPN service for your private browsing needs.