Writing for The Star, University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist outlines just why Bell’s targeted advertising program, begun in 2013 and the subject of hundreds of complaints to the privacy commissioner, falls short on privacy. While Bell argues that its program allows for opt-out and doesn’t involve the actual collection of additional information, Geist argues that comparable programs in the U.S. are either opt-in or offer a benefit for not opting out, such as a discount on services. Further, he says, Bell has far more data on its users than the average internet service provider, and is supplying advertisers profiles that include credit score, pricing plan and average revenue per user.
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