What type of information must be safeguarded under PIPEDA?

PIPEDA, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, requires the safeguarding of personal information, which refers to any information about an identifiable individual. This includes data such as names, addresses, identification numbers, and any other details that could identify a person. The act mandates organizations to collect, use, and disclose personal information responsibly and with consent.

The choice of personal information is correct as this legislation is specifically designed to protect individuals’ privacy rights in the handling of their data in the commercial context. This contrasts with general business information or confidential company records, which may not necessarily pertain to identifiable individuals and therefore do not fall under the specific protections of PIPEDA. Publicly available data is exempt from PIPEDA as it does not require the same level of protection since it is accessible to anyone.