Federal privacy commissioner investigating controversial ArriveCAN app

ArriveCAN app following a recent complaint, Global News has learned.“Our office has received and is currently investigating a complaint that raises concerns with respect to the collection of personal information through ArriveCAN and subsequent use of that information,” said the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada in an email dated July 27.

Recent ArriveCAN ‘glitch’ part of a growing list of concerns about the app Concerns about the type of personal data collected by ArriveCAN, how long this information is stored, and the way data is shared between different government agencies have been raised by privacy and legal experts over the past two years.In June 2020, a group of federal Conservatives also asked the privacy commissioner to investigate ArriveCAN due to concerns they had about the potential misuse of data.

The privacy commissioner responded two months later and said that he reviewed the app’s privacy conditions and that he didn’t have any concerns at the time.Global News asked the privacy commissioner’s office for more details about the recent complaint – who made it, when it was made, and how long the investigation might take.

The office declined to answer these questions, but confirmed the complaint is unrelated to the request sent by the Conservatives.“Given the ongoing investigation and consultations, we do not have further details to provide at this time,” the privacy commissioner said.Global News learned of the recent complaint from technology expert Bianca Wylie, who has closely followed developments surrounding the ArriveCAN app.Wylie sent an email to the office of the privacy commissioner requesting information about the app and whether the commissioner had any concerns about its continued.