Once again, students from the Encounters with Canada program have selected the winners of our annual student video contest! Here are the winners for our 2009 competition:

The three top video artists in the live action category were:

1^st place: Jeffery Burge, Vanessa Caicedo, Alexandra Georgaras, Gareth Imrie and Fiona Sauder of Canterbury High School in Ottawa, Ontario, with a video titled “Think Before You Click”. They win a $100 gift card and an iPod Touch.

2^nd place: David Borish and Mory Kaba of Glebe Collegiate Institute in Ottawa, Ontario, with a video titled “Friend or Foe”. They win a $250 gift card.

3^rd place: Jennifer Paul from Brampton, Ontario, with a video titled “Too Good to be True”. She wins a $150 gift card.

The three top video artists in the animation category were:

1^st place: Tyler Ford and Matthew Kerr of Osgoode Township High School in Metcalfe, Ontario, with a video titled “Privacy: Think Before You Click”. They win a $100 gift card and an iPod Touch.

2^nd place: Rebecca Kartzmart and Emily Patterson of Osgoode Township High School in Metcalfe, Ontario, with a video titled “Carol the Carrot”. They win a $250 gift card.

3^rd place: Scott Piper of Osgoode Township High School in Metcalfe, Ontario, with a video titled “Privacy Matters”. He wins a $150 gift card.

The three top video artists in the French video category were:

1^st place: Benjamin Dion-Weiss of l’École secondaire publique De La Salle in Ottawa, Ontario, with a video titled “Le réseautage social d’après le Comte Hackula”. He wins a $100 gift card and an iPod Touch.

2^nd place: Stéphanie Lemieux and Emily Vendette of l’École secondaire catholique Embrun in Embrun, Ontario, with a video titled “Le Journal de Lisa”. They win a $250 gift card.

3^rd place: Cosmo Darwin of l’École secondaire publique De La Salle in Ottawa, Ontario, with a video titled “Trouvée & Perdu”. He wins a $150 gift card.

The three top video artists in the Junior category were:

1^st place: Mackenzie Giffen, Chris Johnstone, Chris Nattrass, Curtis Sookhoo and Gabriel Zingle of F.R. Haythorne Junior High in Sherwood Park, Alberta, with a video titled “The Spanish Lottery”. They win a $100 gift card and an iPod Touch.

2^nd place: Trevor Aiello, Connor Bergersen, Chad Bullock and Lochlan Thomson of F.R. Haythorne Junior High in Sherwood Park, Alberta, with a video titled “A lesson In Privacy”. They win a $250 gift card.

3^rd place: Matthew Craner, Scott Deshane, Madison Gilchrist, Joe Matishak and Graeme Wyatt of F.R. Haythorne Junior High in Sherwood Park, Alberta, with a video titled “The Phone Number Test”. They win a $150 gift card.

We also recognized seven teachers for their enthusiastic participation in the contest. They were:

• Crystal Getschel, of F.R. Haythorne Junior High in Sherwood Park, Alberta, with 26 entries.
• Majed Mattar, of Osgoode Township High School in Metcalfe, Ontario, with 21 entries.
• Professor Kaduri, of Tanenbaum Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto, Ontario, with 15 entries.
• Grant Holmes, of École secondaire publique De La Salle, Ottawa, Ontario, with 11 entries.
• Carol Shaw, of Woodstock Collegiate Institute, Woodstock, Ontario, with 8 entries.
• Kevin Shae, of Sir Robert Borden High School, Ottawa, Ontario with 6 entries.
• Stephen Willcock, of Canterbury High School, Ottawa, Ontario, with 5 entries.

Each teacher will receive a $250 gift certificate at Indigo Books and Music to use for personal use or for the school they represent.

The videos will be posted as soon as possible to our youth site. They will also be available on our YouTube channel.

We were thrilled with the number and quality of submissions we received for our second competition. We’ll be launching the 2010 contest in May!

The combination of microblogging services like Twitter and location-aware social networking games on your mobile device like Foursquare is like sucking Orange Crush through a Twizzler – it’s one big party until your great-aunt’s end table is smashed.

Twitter, of course, enables its users to post short 140-character messages. Social networking games like Foursquare encourage players to post their precise location information in order to gain points – the more locations you “check in”, the more points you gain. These “check-ins” can also be automatically posted to a player’s Twitter or Facebook account.

A couple of Dutch developers have created a site called PleaseRobMe to point out the dangers of posting so much information on your whereabouts.

“Don’t get us wrong, we love the whole location-aware thing. The information is very interesting and can be used to create some pretty awesome applications….  The danger is publicly telling people where you are. This is because it leaves one place you’re definitely not… home. So here we are; on one end we’re leaving lights on when we’re going on a holiday, and on the other we’re telling everybody on the internet we’re not home.”

The creators of PleaseRobMe point out that users could be putting others around them at risk as well. Foursquare players, for example might also be posting location information for places they frequent…like the homes of friends and family.

The site – which took developers four hours to build – is a witty little reminder to consider the possible repurcussions of what we post online.

Not that long ago, nothing was more personal than a woman’s purse. Although it’s hard to imagine what the big secret is, very few women like to reveal the contents of their purse. However, over the years, this essential woman’s accessory seems to have lost its top spot on the most personal list. What has beaten it out for first place? The cell phone. Our cell phones often contain photos, appointments, direct access to our email, revealing text messages, our contact list – and that doesn’t even include the various applications that we are downloading in greater numbers. All this information is quite a bit more sensitive than a few receipts and old lipsticks at the bottom of a purse!

Lending someone your cell phone requires careful consideration! You have to mentally go through its contents and decide whether there is anything too personal for outside eyes. Cell phones are now a sort of Diary 2.0.

The same could be said for our personal computers. So-called “family” computers – really, a box in the corner of the room — are becoming increasingly rare, being replaced by laptops, where individual ownership is more pronounced. Often, our computers are an open book on our lifestyles.

Today, the mere thought of spending a day without our cell phone or computer gives us the willies. This confirms that these devices are now a part of us; they contain all sorts of information that connect us to our families and our network of friends: they complete us as individuals. They are communication tools that we use to share our every thought, and because they are always within reach, they allow us to seize every moment. But we are also supplying these two electronic devices with personal information that becomes a public and permanent record of the moments of our life.

We are all entitled to some secrets, but storing them in a purse or cell phone makes them easily available for others to uncover. Set your own boundaries and think about the content you download. Segment access with permissions, passwords and encryption. It’s more than just a simple click; it’s your privacy.

Protecting your personal information is getting harder everyday as more and more gadgets and toys offer the option of going online. Even that new stuffed dog you got for your birthday last week may have come with a code that allows you to go online and play with other kids!

And we know you love the tools that bring you online – you go there to connect with friends and make new ones, to buy products, listen to music, watch videos, play games, learn – the list goes on and on.

Since you love technology so much we think it’s only fair that we offer you new ways to  protect your information. Today, we’ve posted a new “creative guide” to our youth site, that offers information and discussion ideas for 12 privacy issues – such as the reason you should pay attention to privacy settings; how keeping personal information private can protect you from identity theft; how to be careful on online gaming sites; what to do if your parents are your friends on Facebook (and you don’t really want them there); how to stay safe on online dating sites; and why you should avoid sexting all together!

We’re also looking for some young bloggers so send us an e-mail if you’d like to talk about some of these topics! Also, stay tuned for the winning videos of our latest youth video contest – we had some really awesome submissions!

There are many ways to grab someone’s attention. Some girls tend to flash a smile, bat their eyelashes, or maybe even throw in a couple compliments to their crush. However, there is a new type of flirting going around that is being widely discussed and debated in the media. Sexting is the sending of revealing and/or seductive pictures to others using a cell phone. Many media outlets are saying that sexting is becoming a rising concern in schools. The Pew Research Center has recently published a research paper surrounding this topic which has shown that 4% of youths aged 12-17 have sent a sext message, and 15% have received a sext.

The Canadian Centre for Child Protection, along with the Canadian Wireless Communications Association, just announced that they have launched a program in 100 schools across Canada that aims to educate grade 7 students about the potential cost of their online actions, as well as the effects of textual harassment and ‘text luring’. These two groups expect that the program will encourage appropriate texting behaviour among teens. The course consists of three lesson plans from textED.ca and is a preventative tool that teachers can implement in their classrooms.

Programs like this are a good sign that of concrete actions that are being taken to encourage proper online behaviour among young people. Many young people don’t understand that once they send a picture – even to a loved one – they run the risk of that photo being made public. It is so easy for the person who receives the photo to send it to others, or to post it on the Internet without the sender’s knowledge or consent. During a nasty break-up, a life can be ruined with the push of a button that results in a revealing picture being plastered online. Once something is posted on the Internet, there is no limit to who can see it – friends, family, future employers – the list goes on and on – and this can leave a humiliating mark on a reputation.

Recently, there have been more and more court cases surrounding the issue of “sexting” and involving young people who post pictures that weren’t meant for public consumption. One Texas teenager spent the night in a juvenile detention centre after a provocative picture that was texted to him was found by his football coach. In some states, a teen convicted of sexting is forced to register as a sex offender for 10 years or more, even if they see no jail time. And while there are negative consequences for the people who receive or distribute sexts without consent, there are also serious psychological consequences for the person whose picture is being circulated. In many cases, the sexts are spread fairly quickly and can lead to harassment and bullying.

Nude pictures of anyone under the age of 18 are considered to be child pornography, but people of all ages should be careful about sending revealing pictures. Those who take these pictures, even if you took them of yourself, are subject to the law. Also, the people who receive the pictures can be charged with possession of child pornography. So if you really like someone and you want to show them, telling them is a far better alternative to “sexting” and will definitely not result with you and your crush/partner sporting matching orange jumpsuits!

There are many social networking sites that allow you to put your information out there for the world to see. However, it is becoming increasingly popular to share location information with your friends using cell phone applications. It’s important to realize that your information is not always protected, and this technology can put you in danger if your location falls into the hands of the wrong person. When using these applications, make sure you know the person who is accessing your profile and they are someone you can trust with this information.

The people at Loopt helped start this location sharing trend in 2006 and are now the leading company in this area. They’ve made it possible for cell phone users to share their status, photos and location using GPS-enabled cell phones. Users are able to request alerts when friends are close, send messages to friends in a particular area, and tag or blog physical locations to friends. People using Loopt can also take pictures from their cell phones and tag them; these pictures will be available to friends and others on the Loopt network.

Gowalla is another location-based social network, but uses game mechanics to motivate its users to go places, participate in activities and meet up with friends. Players use a GPS device from their smartphone to check in at various places. The application allows individuals to share their location information with friends, and leave comments about the places they visit. They get rewarded for their travels by earning iconic stamps for visiting different locations. Check-ins and trips can be shared on the web through Facebook, Twitter or the Gowalla website.

A similar application to Gowalla is Foursquare, which enables the user to “check-in” and tell friends where they are. When a user checks-in someplace, their friends are notified about where they can find the user. Foursquare can send the user recommendations about interesting places to visit, or nearby activities they can participate in. People can check-in to places such as cafes, bars, restaurants, parks, homes, or even the office. It is a way to meet up with friends and learn about their favorite spots, or even discover new places you never knew about. Every check-in earns you points, and when you start checking-in to more interesting places with different people, you start unlocking badges. If you return to a location often, you can even become mayor of that location. There are some benefits to being a mayor, and some places give out free stuff and coupons as a reward for your loyalty.

This is neat technology, but you should always be careful about how much information you share. If you don’t want a certain person or people to know about your location, you probably shouldn’t be adding them as a friend on Loopt. In order to protect your location information and yourself, you should be wary of people who you include as your friends. Never include someone you don’t know or don’t know well. And always be wary of people who are not your friends that want to know your location – they most likely have ulterior motives. With these safety considerations you can have fun and stay in the Loopt!

The deadline for our 2009 My Privacy & Me National Video Competition has passed. This year’s contest was a huge success. Does privacy matter to you? We think so! We received over 100 submissions from all across Canada!
 
Because of the growing popularity of the contest, we have decided to present awards in four different categories (as opposed to last year where we had the students judge all videos together in one category). The categories this year are: live action; animation; French video; and junior (for entrants who are between 12 and 14 years of age).
 
Once again, we will be hosting an event with the students at Encounters with Canada to pick the winners. This event will be happening in early March. More participation also means more prizes. How exciting is that?! There will be first, second and third-place prizes in each category!
 
Thank you for your participation and thanks to all the teachers who encouraged their students to participate and provided them with the support they needed to create awesome videos.

Plan ahead – if you are interested in participating in the contest, and have something to say about personal privacy, we will be launching our 2010 contest in the spring!
 
Stay tuned in following weeks to watch the winning videos from our 2009 contest.

Do you have toys and gadgets on your wish list this holiday? A stuffed toy or a cell phone or camera? Chances are you do because these days these toys and gadgets are more than they used to be. Just a few years ago a stuffed animal was something to cuddle with and a phone was, well, just a phone! Now, many stuffed animals come with codes that allow you to register them online so you can play games, feed and care for them, and even chat and play with other kids. And many cell phones are phones, computers and cameras, all in one.

And while such toys and gadgets can be fun, we want you to enjoy them without putting your privacy and personal information at risk.

Here are our tips for protecting your privacy as you enjoy your new gadgets and toys:

Think before you click – The Internet is a public arena, and photos and comments you post are permanent. Even if you delete them from a web page, they could continue to exist in archived pages, in your computer’s cache or on the computers of other Internet users who may have copied them. If you don’t want certain people to see something, now or in the future, don’t post it!

Pick and protect the perfect password – Your information is only as safe as your passwords. Use different passwords for different systems; make sure they are strong (eight characters or more and a variety of letters or numbers); never share them with anybody; and change them regularly.

Know your friends – Online, you can’t be 100 per cent sure who you are talking to. Don’t accept friend requests from people you don’t know in real life.

Protect your identity – Identity theft is a growing problem and the Internet is the least private of spaces. Don’t post or e-mail personal details such as your social insurance number, phone number, home address or birth date.

Be careful on online gaming sites – Online gaming sites are hotbeds of people accessing personal information. Be aware that ill-intentioned people can use information from your profile to establish accounts in your name, or use your stolen identity to access your existing accounts.

Be wary of e-mail or instant messages from unknown people – Don’t open online messages that seem odd or are from someone you don’t know. They could contain a virus or let a hacker gain access to your computer.

Have a happy holiday and enjoy all your new toys!

We’re not talking about the number of days left until Christmas, but the deadline for the 2nd edition of the My Privacy and Me National Video Contest.

There’s only one week left! We are really looking forward to receiving your videos. You never cease to surprise us with the high-quality content of your public service announcements, and your creativity and diversity.

Reminder

-Deadline: December 11, 2009
-Public service announcement on privacy protection aimed at youth
-Length: 60–120 seconds
-Recording or animation
-Prizes to be won!

You can send us your entry online at video@priv.gc.ca, or submit it by mail, burned onto a DVD. Don’t forget to also submit your entry form. If you are sending it by mail, mail your entry to:

My Privacy and Me
c/o Office of the Privacy Commissioner
112 Kent St.
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 1H3

Visit the mycontest section of our Web site for more information.

Don’t wait, get rolling!

When I received a friend request from my mother on Facebook, my first reaction was to go through all the information on my profile: the messages on my wall, my status updates, photos, groups, EVERYTHING! I finally realized that there was nothing there that would shock her; there was nothing on my profile that she didn’t already know about my interests and social life. I accepted her request.

When this kind of situation arises, some people automatically refuse the request; others accept, but give their parents limited access. The decision is up to you. You know your parents… and their real intentions

Facebook can be a good thing if it’s used the right way. Increasingly popular, social networking sites allow us to create a second identity, a digital identity that goes beyond who we are physically and how we think of ourselves. It’s a platform that many of us use to reveal ourselves, in the simplest forms, through status updates, the likes and interests listed in our personal information, and photos illustrating our lifestyle. The most important thing to keep in mind is that all this information is public and permanent.

Whether it’s a stranger, your parents, your colleagues or your employer who looks at your profile, you should be comfortable with the information that they can view. If you think that a certain photo or information should not be seen by these people, you should not post it online. Screen what you upload. Using Facebook appropriately will avoid any uneasiness.

If having your parents on Facebook makes you uncomfortable because they are constantly writing messages on your wall and commenting on everything you do, then it’s at your discretion to reject their friend request or give them limited access. I encourage you to visit a site that I found very funny called Oh Crap. My Parents Joined Facebook. It was created by two twenty-something girls who discuss and give examples of the parent child relationship on Facebook. A really interesting concept!

Lastly, just try to use the Internet to your advantage. Adjust your privacy settings and, above all, think before you click.