Data privacy is everyone’s business

Canadians enjoy the convenience and pace of a digital lifestyle. They also expect organizations to be accountable for what happens with their personal data.

This page provides resources to help Canadians understand how we can work together to make online interactions more secure and keep personal data safe. Because consumers, businesses and governments all have a role to play in data privacy.

How do Canadians feel about their data privacy?

Canadians are concerned about the protection of their data and privacy online: According to a recent Interac survey, 77% of respondents feel their data is more exposed than ever before. Below, see more insights into how Canadian respondents are feeling about sharing their personal data — and the kinds of control they would prefer to have.

80%

want greater control over their online information and how it is shared

72%

believe companies have access to too much of their data

75%

believe companies have access to too much of their data

87%

want to be able to tell organizations to delete their personal information whenever they choose

Why Canadians want stronger digital privacy controls

While Canadians are generally willing to share their personal data, many want greater choice for managing their privacy online. How can we build more trust?

Read the article

Dive into our dictionary of common terms to help you decode and discuss the world of data privacy

Everyone wants to keep their personal data safe, but the world of data privacy is complex and can be confusing. Understanding commonly used terms can give you a better understanding of how to protect your personal information.

Here are some terms to help you understand the wide world of data privacy.

Consent Management

The process by which a business/website obtains consent from users to the collection, use, disclosure and processing of personal information.

Data Encryption

Taking readable data and changing it so it appears to be written with random text in order to prevent it from being viewed or altered. Encrypted data can only be decrypted by people with access to a special key (a “decryption key”).

Data privacy

The idea that an individual should have control of their personal data and how it is collected or shared.

Verification

A process in which a system or service needs to confirm that the user is an actual person that exists and that the user is who they say they are. This is usually done with physical identification documents such as ID cards, passports, or bank information.

Authentication

A process in which a system, service, or website determines that the rightful account holder is the one accessing it. Digital authentication can come in many forms and combinations including passwords, biometric data, and more.

Delve into the dictionary

For Consumers

Want to know more about protecting your data?

See what Interac verification solutions can do for you.

Learn more

For Business

Simplify the onboarding experience — while safeguarding customers’ data

User-friendly verification that helps protects against fraud.

Learn more

Ideas

Data, trust and open banking

Open banking is coming. And its success will depend on consumers trusting the system — enough to grant consent for their data to be shared.

Learn more

How do Canadians feel about their data protection?

Signing into a website or service may seem like a quick and easy way to gain access to your accounts, but it’s also the first line of defence when it comes to protecting your personal data.

With research commissioned by Interac, we learned how Canadians feel about the way they sign in and how their data should be protected.

Want to see how you stack up? 
Take our questionnaire to find out!

START

1/5

1. Which of the following types of online accounts do you trust the most to properly manage and store your personal information?

Your answer:

69% of Canadians say they trust their banks or financial institutions with their personal information.

Today, Canadians can leverage their existing banking credentials to access participating online services on other platforms with Interac sign-in service.

2/5

2. Who do you feel is primarily accountable for protecting your personal information online?

Your answer:

53% of Canadians believe organizations are primarily responsible for protecting their personal information.

As Canadians hold organizations accountable for the use and storage of data, entities of all sizes have an obligation to provide clear guidelines on how personal information will be used and to enable increased control for users when it comes to managing their privacy online.

3/5

3. Have you used one of your existing social media or email accounts to sign into an online service?

Your answer:

Nearly six in 10 Canadians (58%) say they use their social media accounts to log in to other online services.

Signing into online accounts is something you might do without considering the implications it can have on your data. Canadians continue to sign in through services in which they report low levels of trust and confidence. For example, only 11% trust social media accounts to store their personal information.

4/5

4. Do you find it tedious to set up new usernames and passwords for every website or service you use online?

Your answer:

If you answered yes, then you aren’t alone. 50% of Canadians agree that it’s tedious to set up a new username and password to access online services.

Rather than creating a new username and password, you can access participating government and business services with your existing banking credentials through Interac sign-in service.

5/5

5. Some organizations allow users to verify their identity and sign in using existing financial institution or banking credentials. How do you feel about using this type of technology?

Your answer:

Almost half of Canadians (49%) support using their financial institution login details to verify their identity during the sign-in process.

While many Canadians would be supportive of using their bank login to verify their identity when signing into other services, only about two in five Canadians (37%) have heard of using this method. This figure suggests Canadians would benefit from more education on the role trusted credentials can play during sign-in.

What we learned from this research:

Canadians are increasingly concerned with the lack of control they have over their personal information online. The moment of sign-in is a critical opportunity to protect your privacy, so it’s important to understand the benefits and the potential risks of the method you choose.

Read more about how you can help protect yourself online with Interac verification solutions.

Learn more

Restart

Data privacy is everyone’s business

How do Canadians feel about their data privacy?

80%

72%

75%

87%

Why Canadians want stronger digital privacy controls

Dive into our dictionary of common terms to help you decode and discuss the world of data privacy

Consent Management

Data Encryption

Data privacy

Verification

Authentication

For Consumers

Want to know more about protecting your data?

For Business

Simplify the onboarding experience — while safeguarding customers’ data

Data, trust and open banking

How do Canadians feel about their data protection?

Want to see how you stack up? Take our questionnaire to find out!

1. Which of the following types of online accounts do you trust the most to properly manage and store your personal information?

2. Who do you feel is primarily accountable for protecting your personal information online?

3. Have you used one of your existing social media or email accounts to sign into an online service?

4. Do you find it tedious to set up new usernames and passwords for every website or service you use online?

5. Some organizations allow users to verify their identity and sign in using existing financial institution or banking credentials. How do you feel about using this type of technology?

What we learned from this research:

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Want to see how you stack up? 
Take our questionnaire to find out!