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Privacy Commissioner John Edwards today released a discussion paper inviting submissions on whether ‘positive credit reporting’, introduced to New Zealand following a law change five years ago, has been a success and whether the law was operating satisfactorily.
Positive credit reporting displays more complete information about an individual’s credit commitments, including details of all their borrowings and whether he or she made the payments due each month. ...
More than half of Internet of Things devices don’t properly tell customers how their personal information is being used, an international study has found.
The study, by 26 data protection regulators around the world, including the NZ Office of the Privacy Commissioner, looked at a variety of devices and considered how well companies building these devices communicated privacy matters to their customers. The study included smart electricity meters, internet-connected thermostats and w...
The Privacy Commissioner is monitoring the Yahoo hack that compromised up to 500 million users’ accounts.
The hack affects a small portion of the 825,000 email accounts that Spark provides to users through its partnership with Yahoo.
The hack exemplifies the international nature of privacy, with the US Federal Trade Commission and Irish Data Protection Commissioner already working together to make enquiries into the incident.
Privacy Commissioner says he supports the Govt’s message that any information about a current or future danger to a child needs to be shared between agencies.
We've launched a new way to answer your privacy questions - AskUs can help you find out what you want to know about your privacy rights and obligations.
AskUs, which can be found on the Office of the Privacy Commissioner website, allows people to access reliable privacy guidance at any time. It’s similar to using a search engine, but this one is designed to answer questions you may have about information privacy and the Privac...
Trade Me today revealed it received 1508 requests for customer information from Police and 15 requests from the Security Intelligence Service (SIS) last year.
Te wiki o te reo Māori is taking place this year between Monday 4 July and Sunday 10 July and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner has created a series of privacy phrases and themes in te Reo. Check them out!
And if you wonder what the name for our office means in te Reo, Te Mana Matapono Matatapu literally translates as the authority that deals with the principles of confidentiality.
1. Take control: Privacy gives you control of your personal information.
Privacy Commissioner John Edwards has welcomed the Government’s announcement today of NetSafe as the Approved Agency appointed under the Harmful Digital Communications Act.
Mr Edwards says establishing an agency to resolve complaints about harmful digital communications is an important step in helping people who are the victims of unacceptable online conduct.
“I’d like to congratulate NetSafe for being appointed the independent body that will provide a quick and efficient...
John Edwards, Privacy Commissioner, today released a new ‘Advisory Opinions’ Policy under which Government Ministers and public and sector agencies may seek an advisory opinion from the Commissioner concerning the application of the Privacy Act 1993.
The process is intended to promote understanding of the information privacy principles and give greater certainty to Ministers and agencies in relation to the Act’s operation in particular circumstances.
The OPC has made a number submissions responding the NZ Domain Name Commission (DNC)'s review of the .nz WHOIS service. Those submissions are available here:
The Privacy Commissioner John Edwards has found inadequacies in the way the three major credit reporting agencies – Veda, Centrix and Dun and Bradstreet – respond to requests for personal information from individuals.
The check found that two of the three national consumer credit reporters failed to respond to at least two access requests.
The three agencies all delivered reports within the legal timeframes when requests were made through the agency’s website. Report reque...
Approximately two-thirds (65 percent) of New Zealanders continue to be concerned about privacy, says the latest UMR survey by the Privacy Commissioner.
Privacy Commissioner John Edwards has released the latest compliance assurance reports submitted by the national credit reporting companies.
This time, the Privacy Commissioner asked the credit reporters to provide particular assurances around specific topics of interest arising out of the recent privacy case Orcon v Taylor.
The Orcon case highlighted real risks for consumers as a result of careless reporting of credit defaults by credit providers, such as banks or utility compa...
You can book now to attend our Privacy Forums in Wellington and Auckland during Privacy Week. The early bird fee of $150 per person only applies until 17 April.
We have received assurances that the receivers of DSE are aware of and will comply with their obligations under the New Zealand and Australian Privacy Acts.
