Settled case summary #24 — A web-based company
An individual complained that a web-based company retained his personal information for too long after he cancelled his free trial membership. He also alleged that the company lacked accountability under PIPEDA, as it did not fully answer his privacy questions and had no designated privacy officer. The company explained that it retained personal information, including credit card details, to process rental requests, ship items, and prevent fraud, particularly to track individuals attempting to obtain multiple free trials. As a result of the complaint, the company revised its privacy policy to clarify retention purposes and periods for different types of information. It also trained its customer service staff and designated a privacy officer. The complainant was satisfied with these changes.
- 1Whether the web-based company retained personal information for too long after a free trial cancellation
- 2Whether the web-based company was fully accountable under PIPEDA
- 3Whether the web-based company adequately answered privacy-related questions
- 4Whether the web-based company had a designated person responsible for handling privacy issues
- Retention of personal information: Company revised policy and practices
- Accountability for privacy: Company designated privacy officer and trained staff
Complaint settled — company revised privacy policy and designated a privacy officer
The company took satisfactory corrective actions during the investigation by revising its privacy policy, clarifying retention periods, training staff, and designating a privacy officer, which resolved the complainant's concerns.
The company revised its privacy policy to clarify retention purposes and periods, trained customer service staff, and designated a privacy officer.
This summary is informational only and not legal advice.
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