Commissioner’s Findings - PIPEDA Report of Findings #2014-013: Organization could reasonably assume customer's implied consent for disclosure in dispute resolution situation

A complainant alleged that his Internet service provider (ISP) disclosed his personal information without consent to a newspaper columnist. The complainant had contacted the columnist for assistance in resolving a service dispute with the ISP. The ISP argued it had implied consent to disclose information relevant to the dispute. The OPC found that the personal information disclosed was not sensitive and that, given the complainant's actions and familiarity with the columnist's work, it was reasonable for the ISP to infer implied consent. The ISP also limited its disclosure to information relevant to the complaint. Therefore, the OPC concluded that the complaint was not well-founded.