Privacy law

Privacy law is a set of regulations that govern the collection, storage, and utilization of personal information from healthcare, governments, companies, public or private entities, or individuals.

Privacy laws are examined in relation to an individual's entitlement to privacy or their reasonable expectations of privacy. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights asserts that every person possesses the right to privacy. However, the understanding and application of these rights differ among nations and are not consistently uniform.

Throughout history, privacy laws have evolved to address emerging challenges, with significant milestones including the Privacy Act of 1974^[1] in the U.S. and the European Union's Data Protection Directive of 1995. Today, international standards like the GDPR set global benchmarks, while sector-specific regulations like HIPAA and COPPA complement state-level laws in the U.S. In Canada, PIPEDA governs privacy, with recent case law shaping privacy rights. Digital platform challenges underscore the ongoing evolution and compliance complexities in privacy law.