Federal census-participate or joke/privacy invasion??

[shootingstar]

I'm always very cautious with my personal data, just because it's already "out there" doesn't mean I want to add to it, however naive that may be. I'm a Veteran and got the letter from the VA a couple of years ago telling me "oops, we let all your personal data get stolen, our bad". So I'm a little gun shy about giving out my info to the government.

Pax, at least the govn't does disclose (or is forced by the journalists) to admit occasional inappropriate disclosure or loss of personal data. There are controls all over the place right down to the whole records management process on how a govn't agency secures the data, retention and destruction of that data (but obviously not for census). A govn't agency knows that they are held acccountable to the public, the taxpayers, the electorate.

I'm speaking like this because some professional librarians become certified records managers and do have to implement policies and procedures how to manage/restrict access to that data. So within the federal govn't, I have far greater confidence of better vigilance. After all the bureaucrats have to protect their butts from journalists watching and reporting like hawks.

It can be surprising what happens in some private companies...EVEN IF there is legislation that requires private companies to protect "personal" information. Far greater naivete. It gets even murkier when a private company that is an international firm, has your personal info. on a server outside of the country. There are have been concerns raised here in British Columbia about this. Do you think any private firm, private sector firm even wants to disclose any inappropriate practices re personal info.? Only when a whistleblower will reveal..

I also have spent time educating employees in some jobs about basics on our privacy laws here in B.C...because some of my jobs involved records. Canadians and Americans have greater awareness of privacy protection requirements, people from other countries do not.