With new federal privacy legislation moving through the pipeline, and the increase in online sales (car sales especially), dealers and businesses alike should put their mind to whether they have adequate privacy policies in place to comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA”).
Businesses, and auto dealers specifically, deal with all kinds of personal information on a regular basis that would be subject to PIPEDA, including: addresses, driver’s licenses, SINs, insurance, banking and credit card information. With a move to online sales, and with many employees working from home, this personal information is now being held by businesses and their employees in more places than just the office or on an internal server. Even if your business already has privacy policies in place, you should reassess whether those policies are still adequate given the changing operational landscape we find ourselves in, and whether your staff require some fresh training and reminders regarding their responsibilities.
Published in the Spring 2021 issue of The Ontario Dealer magazine.
