There was a time when the internet was a free and wild place to hang. Businesses put up websites and asked customers for all kinds of information to give them access to special sections, information or promotions. Then they would turn around and sell that information to other companies who would maybe start to spam customers with requests, sales, things customers generally didn’t want. Today, Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) laws are in place to protect customer rights and personal information.

PIPEDA is a code that was developed by the Canadian Standards Association in the late 90’s. It contains 10 principles of fair information practices. Companies conducting business in Canada are required to abide by this act.

PIPEDA Definitions

These definitions are defined in the PIPEDA Act: