Canada: Opened consultation on OPC inquiry into privacy and age-assurance systems

On 10 June 2024, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) opened an exploratory consultation on privacy and age-assurance systems until 10 September 2024. The OPC outlines preliminary findings regarding the available evaluation methods to determine users' age and increase the safety of young people online. Age assurance can restrict young people's access to certain content and tailor data practices, but according to OPC, it also raises privacy concerns. The related privacy concerns are identifiability, linkability, equity, digital divide, and the normalisation of digital identification. In its preliminary positions, the OPC notes that age-assurance systems should only be used in high-risk situations to protect young people's best interests and that laws or regulations mandating age-assurance for content access should be proportional to the risks and consider alternatives such as education or parental controls. The OPC noted that based on the findings from the exploratory consultation, a guidance document will be drafted about the use and design of age-assurance systems.