Under PIPEDA, can personal information be collected, used, or disclosed without consent?

• A. Only with a court order.
• B. No.
• C. Only if the person is a minor.
• D. Yes, in certain circumstances.

Answer: (B)

Consent is the default rule under PIPEDA for collecting, using, or disclosing personal information, but there are defined exceptions where this isn’t required. In practice, an organization may handle information without explicit consent if it’s necessary to provide a product or service, if it’s required or permitted by law, or to protect the life, health, or safety of an individual or to prevent fraud or other harm. There are also situations involving emergencies, certain research or archival purposes, or information from publicly available sources where consent isn’t required. Because of these specific allowances, personal information can be collected, used, or disclosed without consent in limited circumstances.