Public Perceptions of Privacy and Privacy Protections in Metadata Collection, a Canada-Wide Public Opinion Survey: An Examination of Privacy Violations Through The Gendered Digital Gaze

Would you trade your personal data collection – including constant GPS tracking – for a free coffee and doughnut? Tim Horton’s gathers a significant amount of customer’s metadata—including location data, hundreds of times per day through their app. Many other smartphone apps collect personal information every time the user uses the app—and often times when the app is not in use. This is problematic because this kind of data collection can significantly influence and impact life chances and opportunities—which is often done without our knowledge or meaningful consent. The Canadian government does not regulate the collection of metadata as the private sector argues that metadata is not an invasion of privacy, since it does not reveal the actual content of our communications. Academic research, however, indicates that metadata is invasive and does reveal accurate and sensitive information about the individual. \nThis thesis uses a Canada-wide survey on privacy and metadata collection in order to identify if context is important for understanding how different community members experience surveillance and the need for privacy. Specifically, it works to address two key problems within the literature—first, public opinion surveys that ask generalized questions about data collection and privacy yield inconsistent and even conflicting results; and second, that very little empirical data exists that can be used to test how demographic factors impact public opinion regarding this kind of data collection and privacy concerns. This research uses empirical data, collected from a quantitative, demographically representative, Canada-wide survey, in order to address these gaps in the literature. The study conducts two tests to answer the research questions. The first test involves examining demographic differences against a generalized understanding of privacy and data collection by answering the question: can grouping together context-specific questions demonstrate demographic differences in personal data collection, as well as desire for legal privacy protections regarding metadata collection and surveillance practices? The second test answers the research question: do the assertions made by Hille Koskela in the surveillance studies literature regarding subjective differences of gendered experience match the overall Canadian experience? By focusing on the demographic of gender, in particular, investigating context-specific questions and gender-based subjective experiences of metadata collection, also enables the testing of Koskela’s theoretical assertions regarding gendered surveillance. \nThe first test reveals that context-specific questions are essential in public opinion surveys, as you cannot ask generalized questions about privacy and still see how demographically different populations experience data collection and privacy differently. Test two argues that while surveillance is found to be a subjective experience based on gender (e.g., women being significantly more concerned about metadata collection and surveillance practices, and desire legal protections when compared to their male counterparts, in some cases), the results do also challenge Koskela’s assertions by indicating that there are some contexts where this kind of surveillance is not a subjective experience—where, despite demographic characteristics (such as gender), all Canadians who answered the survey desire privacy legal protections against particular types of surveillance practices.\n Ultimately, this project highlights the necessity for privacy policy change to align with the preferences and needs of Canadians regarding personal data collection. It also emphasizes the importance of addressing demographic disparity and ensuring that the voices of marginalized communities contribute a significant role in shaping new developments of privacy policy in Canada. These findings make contributions to the fields of Sociology and Surveillance Studies by using empirical data to first test generalized public opinion questions, and second, to test Koskela’s assertions concerning the subjective experience of surveillance based on gender; therefore, this research will advance knowledge in the area of gendered surveillance by providing empirical evidence concerning the differential experiences of surveillance between men and women. This will be helpful in the development of new privacy legislation in Canada. This research will also underline the need to involve voice and meaningful consultation with different groups of Canadians—across all demographic differences—when updating privacy legislation.

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