How Non-Profits can Assess and Evaluate Privacy Risks

How Non-Profits can Assess and Evaluate Privacy Risks

Everyone is worried about privacy but what exactly should we actually be worried about? What are some of the daily ‘risks’ and the broader considerations for non-profits, today?

 

In this presentation, Christopher will identify some practices that non-profits can adopt to both secure their clients’ personal information and to make better decisions about what information to collect or not. He’ll identify how non-profits can develop transparent and effective policies concerning the collection of personal information, basic and intermediate levels of securing some of that data (and what not to do with it, once you’ve collected it!), as well as some common ‘threats’ that such organizations might experience. These threats will identify different parties that could intentionally or accidently compromise non-profits’ computers, some of tactics third-parties might adopt to compromise data stores, and ways to potentially manage such threats.

 

Suggested donation: $5.

Agenda:

• 5:30-6:00: Doors open. schmoozing and snacks

• 6:00-6:05: NetSquared welcome

• 6:05-6:55: Presentation by Christopher Parsons and Q&A

• 6:55-7:30: Mingling, talking about next steps

About Christopher Parsons:

Christopher’s research, teaching, and consulting interests involve how privacy is affected by digitally mediated surveillance, and the normative implications that such surveillance has in (and on) contemporary Western political systems.  He is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Political Science at the University of Victoria, where he is currently completing a dissertation that examines the political drivers of Internet service providers’ network surveillance practices. He is also a Graduate Fellow at the Centre for Global Studies, a Privacy by Design Ambassador, and a Principal at Block G Privacy and Security Consulting. Beginning in November 2013 he will be a postdoctoral fellow at the Munk Centre’s Citizen Lab.

Christopher has written policy reports for civil advocacy organizations in Canada, submitted evidence to Parliamentary committees, and been an active member of the Canadian privacy advocacy community. He has been involved in projects examining lawful access legislation in Canada and abroad, identity management systems in Canada, automatic license plate recognition technologies in Canada and the UK, network management and surveillance practices in Western democratic states, and privacy issues linked to social media services. Over the course of his academic career, he has published in the Canadian Journal of Law and Society, European Journal of Law and Technology, Canadian Privacy Law Review, CTheory, and has book chapters in a series of academic and popular books and reports. His research has been funded by SSHRC, the New Transparency Project, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner’s contributions programs, and by civil advocacy organizations. He regularly presents his research to government, media, the public, and at academic events.