New privacy bill would give Canadians right to request companies delete AI deepfakes
New privacy bill would give Canadians right to request companies delete AI deepfakes
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ask-private-company-delete-information-legislation-9.7236343
Publish Date: 2026-06-15 18:59:00
Source Domain: www.cbc.ca
Listen to this article
Estimated 3 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
The federal Liberal government has introduced a new piece of legislation it says will tighten privacy rules and regulations for companies handling Canadians’ data.
Bill C-36, dubbed the Protecting Privacy and Consumer Data Act, would give Canadians the right to request that their personal information is deleted, though there would be some exceptions that would allow a company to deny such a request.
“Our primary purpose here is to give control back to Canadians over their own personal information and to require by law — with enforcement — that companies treat the information very sensitively,” Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon told reporters Monday on Parliament Hill.
Government officials briefing reporters on the legislation said it would cover any company that has a “substantial connection” to Canada.
WATCH | Solomon on why the government is acting now:
‘The moment is here’ to modernize Canada’s privacy laws: AI minister
Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon says the Protecting Privacy and Consumer Data Act will help keep Canadians safe in the digital age. ‘I think it’s a common-sense approach to what Canadians and what average folks want from their digital media,’ Solomon said on Monday about the new bill. ‘They want some control over their personal information.’
The right to request a deletion would include things such as AI-generated deepfakes that use an individual’s likeness.
Some exceptions that would allow a company to deny a deletion request would include if the data can be anonymized or if there are retention rules in place for things like fraud prevention, the government officials said.
The bill proposes higher standards for how companies handle children’s data, Solomon said.
The legislation is also aiming to create…
