Retiring Sask. privacy commissioner's advice on protecting your information in a digital world

In an era where personal data is increasingly vulnerable, Ron Kruzeniski says safeguarding your private information is essential.

Kruzenski has served as Saskatchewan's information and privacy commissioner for more than a decade. Now he's retiring, and said he's seen things change significantly over that time.

"We as a society have shifted from a whole bunch of paper in file drawers and file cabinets to large databases and all kinds of organizations collecting our data on our cellphones, on our computers, everywhere," Kruzeniski said.

He cautioned that because data is now being stored in online spaces, hackers have more ways to access and use your private information.

"They found a way of making it profitable and when they operate in a different country that maybe sponsors their hacks and attacks, they're basically protected from prosecution," Kruzeniski said.

In his time as commissioner, Kruzeniski published more than 1,230 reports and is regarded as one of the most well known independent officers of the Saskatchewan legislature. He said one of the things he's most proud of has been his ability to get answers to people.

"That's 1,230 decisions and it means that 1,230 answers were given to people in a relatively short order," he said. "I think it's really important for a public body, you know, a municipality, a city, a ministry, when someone makes a request and then appeals to our office, that the answer gets out there as quickly as possible and we've been able to do that."

'You don't have to click right away'

After witnessing a shift from paper to digital records in his time as commissioner, Kruzeniski's biggest advice to people in the online space is to think twice before clicking.

"Every email you get, every time there's a link, every time someone offers you something that sounds too good to be true, it probably is. You don't have to click right away, you can think about it," Kruzeniski said.

He warned that hackers commonly get access to personal information through fake links that route them into our systems that then gives them access to our information.

"Be careful, think twice, be cautious," Kruzeniski said.

As he enters retirement, Kruzeniski would like to see more legislation dealing with artificial intelligence. He said it's the right time for the government to start building rules for AI in Canada.

"I think as a country and as a province, we start. We need some guardrails in terms of capturing the benefits of AI, but reducing the risks of it being abused or used against us."

He'd also like the timeline for how reports are delivered in Saskatchewan to be more in line with what he's seen with other provinces.

"Newfoundland has some very specific timelines that helps them get their reports out quickly," Kruzineski said.

"We just kind of need a review and a balanced consideration of what we need for the next couple decades."