Commons Ethics Committee Wants Cellphone Data Collection Halted Over Privacy Concerns

Commons Ethics Committee Wants Cellphone Data Collection Halted Over Privacy Concerns
Travelers carry luggage to their flights at the Edmonton International airpot in Edmonton Alta., Dec. 2, 2021. The Canadian Press/Jason Franson
The Canadian Press
Updated:

OTTAWA—The House of Commons ethics committee has called for a halt to the Public Health Agency of Canada’s plans to collect data from millions of mobile phones as a way to understand travel patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The committee passed a motion Monday calling on the federal government to suspend plans to extend the collection of cellphone location data until its members are satisfied the privacy of Canadians will not be affected.