OVIC publishes updated privacy principle guidelines

The Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner (OVIC) has published updated guidelines for public sector organisations to use to follow the Information Privacy Principles (IPPs).

The new guidelines explain how the IPPs — the cornerstone of privacy law in Victoria — should be interpreted and applied.

The updates have been designed to reflect the profound changes that have occurred in the privacy and information landscape, both locally and globally, since the guidelines were last published in 2011.

Changes include the establishment of OVIC in 2017 to combine oversight of information privacy, information security and freedom of information in Victoria under one regulatory body.

The principles cover the collection, use and disclosure of public sector data, as well as tips for maintaining data quality and security.

Other principles cover openness, anonymity, the use of unique identifiers, transborder data flows and the handling of sensitive information.

The guidelines have been published online in a digital format to ensure it can be updated regularly as new developments occur and the sector’s experience in applying the principles grows.

“This iteration of the guidelines was made possible through the valuable contributions of many people,” Information Commissioner Sven Bluemmel said in the preface to the new guidelines.

“I thank all those who provided feedback during the public consultation on our draft chapters, as well as those who gave input into our working groups and consultations.”

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