From: http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/ecic-ceac.nsf/eng/h_gv00045.html 

The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

The Government of Canada reminds Canadians that the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) came into full effect on January 1, 2004.

The PIPEDA applies to all personal information collected, used or disclosed by private sector organizations in the course of commercial activity. Its privacy provisions are based on the Canadian Standards Association’s Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information (CAN/CSA-Q830-96). Key among the Act’s provisions are:

• organizations are required to seek the consent of individuals prior to collecting, using or disclosing their personal information;
• organizations must protect personal information with security safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information; and
• individuals may access personal information about themselves held by an organization and have it corrected, if necessary.

LEARN MORE: http://www.privcom.gc.ca/information/guide_e.asp

It is amazing what we are able to now measure and track over the internet. It will be important to follow this technology vs privacy debate in 2009.

LINK: http://www.clickz.com/3632171

This is a good article from E-Commerce Times  about best practices when it gomes to clients’ personal information: http://www.ecommercetimes.com/rsstory/65620.html