Privacy Essay (1)
pdf
keyboard_arrow_up
School
Humber College *
*We aren’t endorsed by this school
Course
313
Subject
Communications
Date
Feb 20, 2024
Type
Pages
6
Uploaded by maya3033
Post Analysis
CMN288: Communication and Social Media
Maya Dras
500975720
February 15th, 2024
Article link:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/tim-hortons-app-report-1.6473584
Summary
The purpose of this analysis is to explore the recent investigation into Tim Hortons' mobile app
and understand the privacy concerns it raises. This analysis will explain the details of how the
app collected data without clear consent and examine the implications of this privacy breach. An
investigation by the federal data protection commissioner has found that the Tim Hortons app
collected large amounts of location data without obtaining appropriate consent from users. This
kind of data collection is considered a serious violation of user privacy, even when the app is
inactive. The app uses third-party provider Radar for data collection, raising concerns about a
lack of contractual protection for users' personal information.
Harm:
The main problem with Tim Hortons' app is that it secretly gathers detailed location data even
when you're not using it, breaking user privacy rules. The report from the commissioner points
out that the loss of privacy is way more than any benefits Tim Hortons might get from targeted
ads. This makes us think about how companies should ethically handle our personal information
and their duty to protect consumer data.
Implications/Concerns:
With this, there is a privacy concern; collecting location data without asking users properly
directly affects consumers. This situation highlights how companies should value and follow
users' privacy choices, bringing attention to the right way to use data. Despite the privacy
concerns, the company gains insights into customer preferences, allowing for more effective
marketing strategies. In addition, there are also surveillance concerns. The privacy
commissioners talk about the higher risk of mass surveillance when tracking locations, which
can raise questions about the safety of people. Daniel Therrien's comment about our daily
information being treated as things to sell portrays the bigger impact of turning user data into
products (Al Mallees 2022). Tim Hortons benefits from the data it collected, even if it's not used
as initially intended. The vast amounts of detailed location data and user information could have
potentially provided valuable insights into customer behavior for targeted advertising and
product promotion. Without strong written contracts to help their businesses grow, third-party
companies have more freedom to use the collected information; therefore, they also benefit from
this.
Steps to minimize risks
Tim Hortons took steps to minimize privacy risks by agreeing to delete all location data and
ensuring third-party service providers did the same, as recommended by privacy authorities.
Additionally, the company committed to establishing a privacy management program for its app
and all future apps to ensure compliance with federal and provincial privacy legislation. While
these actions are positive, the broader call from privacy experts is for more complex privacy laws
that grant authorities greater investigative powers and the ability to impose fines, promoting
stronger protection for user privacy.
Analysis
The Tim Hortons case highlights privacy concerns that appear more and more on social media.
Most importantly, while looking into these topics, it is equally important to acknowledge the
distinct problems that come with teenagers, a generation that spends most of the time on social
media platforms. According to the journal article Networked Privacy: How Teens Navigate
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
Context in Social Media, teens navigate complex contexts in the digital world. Social media is an
everyday part of teens’ lives that brings out privacy concerns. The article explores how teens
negotiate their privacy limits and contextual integrity online. Concerns about consent and data
use are common themes throughout the article. The challenges highlighted in the study reflect
the need for clearer communication and transparency around data practices. Tim Horton's
incident highlights the similarities between teens and social media. Like all users, teens deserve
to know what information they’re sharing and how it can be used.
The use of Radar for data collection shows us the problems and risks associated with third-party
services. As mentioned in the journal article
“
Networked Privacy: How Teenagers Negotiate
Context in Social Media'', involving other companies makes things complicated and could risk
people's privacy by stealing it (Marwick & Boyd, 2014). The report stressed that the contract
with Radar was unclear, highlighting the need for contracts that protect privacy. Tim Horton’s
situation shows how mobile apps on big networks can affect our privacy. Tim Hortons taking our
location data, even when we're not using the app, makes us wonder about the situation in which
they collect this data. This case also shows how privacy expectations are changing, as mentioned
by privacy expert Karen Eltis: “The shift from mere checkbox consent to meaningful consent
reflects the growing awareness among users regarding the sensitivity of their personal
information” (Al Mallees, 2022).
It shows that privacy isn't just about what one person does; it's about how things connect in big
systems. This case helps us see that what an app does can affect lots of people in the larger
network, showing us how privacy is all connected and that there are two sides (YouTube, 2018).
In conclusion, the Tim Hortons app investigation is not just about a privacy problem; it's one of
the smaller versions of the challenges that consumers face while being active online. It tells us
we need clear rules for privacy, honest agreements between companies, and take action to keep
consumer data safe. As consumers who rely on social media, it's crucial for us to grasp these
complexities and join the conversation about digital privacy.
References
Al Mallees, N. (2022, June 2).
Tim Hortons app tracked too much personal information without
adequate consent, investigation finds | CBC News
. CBCnews.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/tim-hortons-app-report-1.6473584
Marwick, Alice E., et al. “Networked privacy: How teenagers negotiate context in social media.”
New Media & Society
, vol. 16, no. 7, 2014, pp. 1051–1067,
https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444814543995
.
YouTube. (2018, March 16).
Privacy and social media
. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMLVkBxke20
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help