News release

OPC funds research projects studying personal information collection by smart devices

August 28, 2025 – Gatineau, QC

Research projects funded under the 2025-2026 Contributions Program will focus on the privacy implications of smart devices, which constantly collect large amounts of information about their users, Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne announced today.

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) has selected seven research projects to fund in response to its call for proposals on the theme “Connected but exposed: exploring smart devices and privacy,” which aims to increase Canadians’ knowledge and awareness of how smart devices handle personal information.

Two of the selected research projects will explore data-collection practices and protection measures related to connected cars – one will examine the personal information that automakers require from Canadian customers to gain access to onboard features and connected applications, and the other will look at processes that can enable data analytics on connected cars in a way that will protect consumer privacy.

Other funded projects are:

• A study that will map out possible applications for health-related machine listening to identify privacy risks;
• A project to improve public awareness of the data collection practices of artificial intelligence-enabled devices;
• An assessment of the mechanisms in place to manage sensitive information collected by smartwatches;
• An analysis of the privacy implications of “FemTech” apps (for example, apps that track menstruation, pregnancy or breastfeeding) that involve the collection of sensitive health information; and
• A look at the unique privacy challenges and opportunities faced by young people aged 16-24 as smart devices become more embedded in their everyday lives, collecting, using, and sometimes sharing their personal information, often with minimal transparency or user control.

To read more about the projects, please see Contributions Program projects underway.

The OPC Contributions Program funds independent privacy research and initiatives that generate new ideas, approaches, and knowledge to help organizations better safeguard personal information and help Canadians make more informed decisions about how to protect their privacy.

The maximum funding available to each project is $100,000, with a maximum contribution payable to any single organization of $200,000.

Quote

“Smart devices are all around us: we wear them, we carry them, we have them in our homes and in our cars, and it is important to continue to examine and address the privacy implications that they may pose. These research projects will help to explain how the personal information that is collected by these smart devices is used, so that Canadians can benefit from these technologies while still protecting their privacy.”

Philippe Dufresne
Privacy Commissioner of Canada

Media contact

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
communications@priv.gc.ca