A privacy breach occurs when personal information is collected, stored, used, disclosed, or accessed in a way that is not compliant with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA). Privacy breaches can happen in a number of different ways, such as sending an email to the wrong recipient or posting the wrong document online.
If you discover or suspect a privacy breach, you are required to immediately email privacy@unbc.ca. Privacy will then provide direction on the next appropriate steps.
Once UNBC Privacy has been alerted to a breach, the Privacy Officer will work with the reporting individual or department to:
- Assess and contain the breach.
- Notify the impacted individuals.
- Notify the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC), depending on the severity of the breach.
- Work with the department on developing preventative measures.
For more information on responding to a privacy breach, see the following procedures.