More AI All the time
The EU AI Act has just been passed – the world’s first comprehensive law to regulate AI. Taking a risk based approach, it will have extraterritorial effect just like GDPR, and is likely to have a similar influence on legislators around the world. Check...
We might be small, but we're still adequate
The European Commission has decided that Aotearoa New Zealand will retain its EU adequacy status. This is important news for local organisations which market their products or services into the EU. Aotearoa NZ's Privacy Act first received EU adequacy status in 2012. At that time,...
AI Governance Global 2023
Simply Privacy Principal, Frith Tweedie, travelled to Boston in early November for the IAPP’s AI Governance Global conference. She shares some of the key takeaways from the event. The IAPP’s inaugural AI-focused conference, AI Governance Global 2023, took place during a very busy week for...
Key takeaways from the IAPP ANZ Privacy Summit
Simply Privacy recently represented at the IAPP ANZ Summit in Sydney, a two day privacy extravaganza attended by 450+ privacy professionals from across Australia and Aotearoa NZ. The weather was rubbish but the vibe was excellent, with some good inspiration to take into the holiday...
OPC Guidance on Applying the IPPS to AI
OPC guidance on applying the Information Privacy Principles to AI The Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) has released guidance on how the Information Privacy Principles (IPPs) apply to Artificial Intelligence (AI). This builds on recent guidance setting out the OPC’s expectations around the use of...
Tips for managing CCTV systems
Video recording and CCTV have become ubiquitious in private and public settings. Ninety nine percent of the time video cameras are installed for security or safety reasons - to catch or deter someone from committing offences. It might be protecting retail premises from ram raid...
Data retention and privacy risk
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner has recently highlighted the importance of good data retention practices. The Office released a statement in April 2023, discussing the role of data retention in recent New Zealand data breaches. The statement points to the Latitude Financial Services breach,...
Mānawatia a Matariki Here at Simply Privacy, we're thrilled that Matariki is now honoured as a public holiday in Aotearoa. We'll be heading out to see the beautiful Matariki cluster at sunrise on 14 July. Mānawa maiea te putanga o Matariki Mānawa maiea te ariki...
Key takeaways from the Customer and Product Data Bill
The development of NZ’s Consumer Data Right has taken a further step forward, with MBIE’s release of an exposure draft of the Customer and Product Data Bill. The CPD Bill is intended to unlock the value of data, by improving customer access to and control...
Privacy by Design, by design
As agencies increasingly adopt more agile and ‘by design’ approaches to product and service design, privacy functions must adapt their approaches to engaging with project teams to effectively influence data practices and outcomes. We've developed some guidance to help privacy professionals and their teams put...
Ok Computer? Time to think about Responsible AI
Did you get the chance to have a play with ChatGPT over the summer break? ChatGPT – which Microsoft is incorporating into its Bing search engine – generates incredibly convincing, human-like text*. It also provides tangible evidence of the impact artificial intelligence (AI) will have...
More decisions made on NZ's Consumer Data Right
The Office of the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs has released a Cabinet Paper outlining further decisions on the Consumer Data Right (CDR). Subject to Cabinet agreement, the decisions made in this paper will inform the shape and content of the upcoming CDR Bill....
2023 Predictions
Our privacy predictions for 2023 Privacy’s been pretty busy in 2022. We’ve seen the appointment and commencement of our new Privacy Commissioner, Michael Webster; several news reports on the use of Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) by retailers and the release of a consultation paper from...
IAPPANZ Summit Round-up
Simply Privacy sent a delegation over to the IAPPANZ Summit in Sydney in November - the first such summit since 2019. It was a fabulous opportunity to connect with over 350 other privacy professionals and get up to speed with some of the topical privacy...
Introducing Frith
Frith joined the Simply Privacy team this year from Auror, where she was General Counsel and Chief Privacy Office as well as designing and implementing their Responsible AI framework. Frith has wide privacy experience both in New Zealand and further afield. Following a 7 year...
Tips for implementing a PIA process
Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs) are be a valuable tool in the Privacy Officer toolkit - identifying and dealing to privacy risk without stifling innovation or impeding progress. But they can also be a bit of a Pain In (the) Ass, when it comes to introducing...
Introducing Kathy
Kathy rejoined the Simply Privacy team in 2020, having previously spent several years consulting for us. She has a background in both privacy and the wider information management arenas, with stints as an Investigator at both the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and Office of...
Simply Privacy contributes to APAC research on consent
Our Principal and Director Daimhin Warner recently provided expert assistance to an Asia Business Law Institute + Future of Privacy Forum joint research project on the status of consent as a lawful basis for processing personal information in the APAC region. The full report for...
Trusted transparency - Connecting the dots between what you say and what you do
This year's Privacy Week theme - trust - got us at Simply Privacy thinking about the role of transparency in the trust picture. Transparency is a well-known privacy concept. It's not news that being open about how personal information will be used and shared is...
Privacy as a customer service
Since the 1980 OECD Guidelines on privacy there have been substantial additions and amendments to privacy laws in New Zealand and other jurisdictions across the world. The original guidelines were practical, a response to advances of technology and the ability to transfer data across borders...
It's all about the tone
As an executive leader in your agency how engaged are you with privacy? Let’s reframe that – how engaged are you in managing the personal information that your organisation uses to provide services? Maturity assessments exist for variety of corporate activities, including security, risk and...
A fresh take on privacy for 2022
This year, we expect to see many developments that will complement our reformed Privacy Act 2020, helping us to regain our position at the forefront of future-proofed privacy regulation, but also signalling the emergence of an Aotearoa New Zealand approach to privacy that reflects our...
Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency v MoH - Privacy lessons from the second High Court decision
Following the first court case (you can read our take on it here), and the subsequent failure of the Ministry of Health (MOH) to again release all the requested vaccination data, the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency (WOCA) took further judicial review proceedings in the High Court....
Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency v MOH - Covid 19, Te Tiriti and cultural perspectives on privacy
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought privacy sharply into focus in many different ways over the past eighteen months. The High Court's recent decision in the judicial review proceedings brought by the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency (WOCA) against the Ministry of Health (MoH) is one such example....
Privacy Commissioner publishes position paper on biometrics
Reflecting growing pressure from public and private sector agencies to utilise new technologies, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner released a timely position paper on the regulation of biometrics. The paper puts some stakes in the ground with respect to biometrics. It outlines how the...
Getting ready for Privacy Act 2020 - Checklist
The Privacy Act 2020 came into effect on 1 December 2020. We’ve made a checklist of the key things we think organisations should do to get in shape for it: Get your governance settings right Appoint a Privacy Officer, if you haven’t already – it’s...
Collecting personal information from children - IPP4
The Privacy Act 2020 amended information privacy principle (IPP) 4(b) to require agencies collecting personal information from children or young persons to take particular care to ensure the collection is fair and proportionate. This change reflects overseas approaches, recognising that children may be less aware...