Canadian privacy regulators resolution

In October 2024, Canadian privacy regulators issued a joint resolution calling for stronger action against deceptive design patterns (DDPs), also known as dark patterns, which undermine users' privacy rights. The resolution, passed at the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario's annual meeting, follows alarming findings from the Global Privacy Enforcement Network (GPEN), which discovered that 99% of Canadian digital platforms contain at least one deceptive design pattern, particularly affecting children's platforms. The resolution urges organizations to adopt privacy-first design practices, including using privacy-by-design principles, limiting data collection, ensuring clear language, and regularly reviewing design elements to reduce DDPs. The regulators also aim to collaborate with governments to update standards and encourage privacy-respecting designs.