The blurring of our public and private lives in the Internet age is a hot topic of discussion. Where do government’s actions end and the rights of individuals begin?
How do you even define privacy in today’s technologically driven and globalized world? And furthermore what does the trend to eroding privacy mean for democracy?
Micheal Vonn, policy director at the BC Civil Liberties Association, will be at UFV’s Abbotsford campus on Tues, March 18, at 1 pm to explore some of these key civil rights and privacy issues. The talk will be in the lecture theatre, room 101 in B Building.
Vonn is a lawyer and has been the policy director of the BCCLA since 2004. She has been an adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in the Faculty of Law and in the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies where she taught civil liberties and information ethics.
Vonn is a frequent commentator on a variety of civil liberties topics including privacy, national security, policing, surveillance and free speech.
Commentators both on the pro-privacy side of the discussion and pro-sharing side, are calling for privacy to be redefined to keep pace with rapid technological change.
Not only is personal information the daily fuel of the internet, the vast daily data capture of citizen’s lives is set to expand further with more and more technological advances like new ‘smart’ cards. How much private information does or could a government access and for what purpose?
The BC Civil Liberties Association works to address “how laws or policies may infringe on civil liberties, and provide recommendations to protect fundamental rights and freedoms.” The association states that “informed and vigilant citizens are the key to protecting fundamental rights and freedoms. “
This free talk will help to inform round key issues of citizen’s rights. The lecture is open to students, faculty and staff, alumni, and members of the general public.
The speaker is brought to UFV by the Library and Information Technology program.
For more information visit ufv.ca/libit or contact Christina Neigel, christina.neigel@ufv.ca or 604-854-4558.
