Census and privacy - suggested response

[Heather Morrison-2]

The privacy issues that the government is referring to, I think, is simply the right to refuse to answer personal questions.

From my perspective, the optimal response would support privacy rights as well as reassurance.  The key points are that the data really are needed for important social planning purposes like knowing where schools will be needed, and that rigorous procedures are in place to protect confidentiality.

Tracey, you had a great paragraph in your last message, something along the lines that we share a little of our personal information for the greater good - worth repeating.

It may help to think about what you need to do get past the ethics review when doing social science research with human subjects.  At my university, you are expected to tell people how their data will be used, and what they can expect in terms of confidentiality or anonymity.  

Social planning is a valid reason to require responses; I would argue that business planning is not.  If Census data helps Starbucks plan their next location, that's a nice side-benefit, but not a good reason for a mandatory form.

My own concerns about privacy are not relevant to the current discussion, because the government's action does nothing to address them.  It would be more helpful, IMHO, to say that this is a separate issue which may be worth exploring at some point, but not relevant to the current discussion.

Best,

Heather Morrison
[hidden email]

[Tracey P. Lauriault]

Cool!

On the business planning!  Good business planning, more small and medium sized canadian businesses, good for the economy, creates jobs, fuels the economy, good for canadians!

Business having access to and using public data is a good thing.

Cheers
t

On Sun, Jul 25, 2010 at 1:56 PM, Heather Morrison <[hidden email]> wrote:

The privacy issues that the government is referring to, I think, is simply the right to refuse to answer personal questions.

>From my perspective, the optimal response would support privacy rights as well as reassurance.  The key points are that the data really are needed for important social planning purposes like knowing where schools will be needed, and that rigorous procedures are in place to protect confidentiality.

Tracey, you had a great paragraph in your last message, something along the lines that we share a little of our personal information for the greater good - worth repeating.

It may help to think about what you need to do get past the ethics review when doing social science research with human subjects.  At my university, you are expected to tell people how their data will be used, and what they can expect in terms of confidentiality or anonymity.

Social planning is a valid reason to require responses; I would argue that business planning is not.  If Census data helps Starbucks plan their next location, that's a nice side-benefit, but not a good reason for a mandatory form.

My own concerns about privacy are not relevant to the current discussion, because the government's action does nothing to address them.  It would be more helpful, IMHO, to say that this is a separate issue which may be worth exploring at some point, but not relevant to the current discussion.

Best,

Heather Morrison
[hidden email]
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--
Tracey P. Lauriault
613-234-2805

[Heather Morrison-2]

On 25-Jul-10, at 2:10 PM, Tracey P. Lauriault wrote:

> Cool!
>
> On the business planning!  Good business planning, more small and  
> medium sized canadian businesses, good for the economy, creates  
> jobs, fuels the economy, good for canadians!
>
> Business having access to and using public data is a good thing.

Business is good, agreed.

So - if you're having trouble getting people to answer your  
telemarketing questions, the solution is to get the government to do  
this for you, using public funds and the muscle of the government to  
enforce compliance?

Perhaps this is a wimpy approach?  Why not demand to see the invoices  
from people's purchases and simply incarcerate people who aren't doing  
their share as consumers?  Or jail people for refusing to answer  
marketing surveys?

:)

Heather

>
> Cheers
> t
>
> On Sun, Jul 25, 2010 at 1:56 PM, Heather Morrison <[hidden email]>  
> wrote:
> The privacy issues that the government is referring to, I think, is  
> simply the right to refuse to answer personal questions.
>
> From my perspective, the optimal response would support privacy  
> rights as well as reassurance.  The key points are that the data  
> really are needed for important social planning purposes like  
> knowing where schools will be needed, and that rigorous procedures  
> are in place to protect confidentiality.
>
> Tracey, you had a great paragraph in your last message, something  
> along the lines that we share a little of our personal information  
> for the greater good - worth repeating.
>
> It may help to think about what you need to do get past the ethics  
> review when doing social science research with human subjects.  At  
> my university, you are expected to tell people how their data will  
> be used, and what they can expect in terms of confidentiality or  
> anonymity.
>
> Social planning is a valid reason to require responses; I would  
> argue that business planning is not.  If Census data helps Starbucks  
> plan their next location, that's a nice side-benefit, but not a good  
> reason for a mandatory form.
>
> My own concerns about privacy are not relevant to the current  
> discussion, because the government's action does nothing to address  
> them.  It would be more helpful, IMHO, to say that this is a  
> separate issue which may be worth exploring at some point, but not  
> relevant to the current discussion.
>
> Best,
>
> Heather Morrison
> [hidden email]
> _______________________________________________
> CivicAccess-discuss mailing list
> [hidden email]
> http://lists.pwd.ca/mailman/listinfo/civicaccess-discuss
>
>
>
> --
> Tracey P. Lauriault
> 613-234-2805
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> CivicAccess-discuss mailing list
> [hidden email]
> http://lists.pwd.ca/mailman/listinfo/civicaccess-discuss