Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Regulation in Canada: Privacy Concerns and Social Justice

• In Event: Privacy in Our Digital and Technological World

Abstract

As Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) proliferate in Canada privacy implications have proved a central concern. UAVs are used for a range of surveillance purposes in Canadian public and private sectors; with the latter creating implications for organizations accountable to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) for the safe, open and limited collection of personal information. To better understand these implications, the Surveillance Studies Centre at Queen’s has undertaken a study of UAVs in Canada funded by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. The research highlights the historical development and privacy sensitive aspects of UAVs, , analyses marketing materials used by Canadian UAV manufacturers, and investigates public knowledge and opinion of UAV usage in Canada. While responses to a variety of surveillance practices tend to be grounded in personal privacy and autonomy concerns, these responses contain limitations. Adequately addressing UAV usage in Canada necessitates other forms of ethical and critical responses. Working from a social justice standpoint and the underlying philosophy that surveillance should be for people, not of people, we contextualize our research within the surveillance studies theme that emphasizes how consideration of human dignity concerns can help challenge the negative aspects of surveillance.

Authors

• Alana Saulnier, Queen's University

• Ciara Bracken-Roche, Queen's University

• David Lyon, Queen's University

• Scott Thompson, Queen's University

• Mark Mansour, Queen's University