In today's world of digital tattoos, it's difficult to raise eyebrows about the extent to which our personal information gets shared.
But this week, B.C.'s privacy commission did just that, with a report that raises serious concerns about the kinds of information being shared by police with employers, schools and community groups that require police information checks.
The original idea behind the checks is obvious. A bank doesn't want to hire employees who've been convicted of fraud. A school doesn't want child sex offenders in its halls.
But these days, organizations using police information checks - rather than criminal record checks - are getting far more than that handed over, according to the privacy commissioner.
Volunteer groups and prospective employers don't just get told about past convictions, where a court has weighed evidence. In many cases, they also get information about charges, complaints and personal mental health history.
Most people would be shocked to hear that their call to a suicide hotline or an unfounded complaint by an ex-spouse can be reported to a potential employer.
But under the existing system, that has indeed occurred.
As the privacy commissioner notes, such revelations can have lasting and profound impacts.
What police going into potentially dangerous situations need to know is completely different than what employers should have the ability to access, which is why the privacy czar has called for immediate changes.
The presumption of innocence is an important one, which deserves more than the lip service it currently receives.
