Commissioner’s Findings - PIPEDA Case Summary #2009-024: Bank Disclosed Personal Information without Consent
A married couple complained that a bank mortgage specialist disclosed the husband's personal financial information to his wife without his consent. The bank argued there was implied consent given the purpose of applying for a joint mortgage. The Assistant Commissioner found the bank did not make a reasonable effort to inform the couple about potential disclosures between them, meaning consent was not meaningful. While a contravention was found, the bank had since adopted reasonable practices.
- Meaningful consent for disclosure of personal information to a spouse
- Reasonable efforts to inform individuals about purposes of disclosure
- Implied consent in the context of joint mortgage applications
Complaint well-founded and resolved
The bank failed to make reasonable efforts to ensure the couple was aware of how their financial information would be disclosed to each other, rendering consent not meaningful. However, the bank took corrective measures and implemented reasonable practices.
AI-generated summary for reference only. Always verify against the official decision ↗
The bank adopted reasonable practices to protect the personal financial information of joint mortgage applicants.
- Principle 4.3 PIPEDA
- Principle 4.3.2 PIPEDA
- Principle 4.3.5 PIPEDA
This summary is informational only and not legal advice.