Celebrate Data Privacy Day 2026 with the University of Toronto

Published: December 5, 2025

Data Privacy Day 2026 graphics featuring a laptop with hands typing, colorful square patterns, and icons representing security, passwords, identity and privacy.

Mark your calendars! January 28 is Data Privacy Day, and U of T is gearing up for a full month dedicated to protecting personal and institutional information.

Co-led by Information Security and the University Privacy Office, this year’s campaign offers events, resources and tools to raise awareness about privacy and data protection across our tri-campus community.

Stay tuned for updates on events and resources by checking this page often and following along on Instagram, LinkedIn and Bluesky.

Resources

Privacy resources

Explore these resources to help strengthen information security and privacy awareness.

Partner resources

Boost your privacy practices with expert tips and trusted tools from leading organizations:

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada: Resources to help Canadians boost cyber fitness and stay secure online.
National Cybersecurity Alliance’s Data Privacy Week: Guidance to protect yourself, your family and your organization from cybercrime.
Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario: Acts independently of government to uphold and promote open government and protect personal privacy.

Digital assets

Help us spread the word! Download our social media graphics, digital signage and other materials to help spark a campus-wide conversation.

Access digital assets

Events

Privacy clinic at U of T St. George

Jan. 13, 2026, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Location: Bahen Centre for Information Technology, the Atrium

All U of T community members are welcome.

Event details

Have a privacy question but don’t know who to ask? Stop by our booth to connect with privacy and security experts from across the tri-campus. While you’re here, play with James Bond-style gadgets to learn how surveillance, privacy and democracy intersect. Participants can also uncover their privacy profile for a chance to win exciting prizes.

No registration required.

Privacy clinic at U of T Mississauga

Jan. 26, 2026, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Location: Second floor, William G. Davis Building

All U of T community members are welcome.

Event details

No registration required.

Surveillance, policy and art with Associate Professor Evan Light

Jan. 27, 2026, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Location: Student Commons, iSchool (4th floor)

All U of T community members are welcome.

Event details

Join Faculty of Information Associate Professor Evan Light for an in-person presentation and interactive installation exploring surveillance, privacy and democracy through immersive art and critical inquiry. Light’s internationally exhibited work investigates technologies such as facial recognition and cellphone hacking, contributing to Canadian privacy policy and legislation.

Immerse yourself in an artwork designed to challenge conventional ideas of privacy and invite reflection on how personal data is collected, monitored and used.

This exhibit was created by a team of researchers dedicated to privacy, equity and human rights. Drawing on Amazon Ring, a widely adopted home-surveillance device with a built-in doorbell camera, the installation creates an immersive environment for critical reflection on facial recognition technology and its expanding role in Canada.

Disclaimer: Your image is not being recorded, analyzed, saved, stored, transmitted, shared, streamed, broadcast or photographed. This exhibit is for educational purposes only. This project has been funded by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

Activities

Privacy book display at Robarts Library

Jan. 5 – 30, 2026
Location: Robarts Library, first floor (near the elevators)

Robarts Library will host a book display on the important topic of privacy in the digital age.

The collection covers data protection laws and offers practical tips for safeguarding your online identity, helping you take control of your privacy.

Stop by to explore this important collection of literature!

Dear 404

Meet Dear 404, the security advice column that won’t redirect you.

Ever wished for a friendly, judgment-free place to ask your cyber security questions? Dear 404 is your go-to for digital advice with a retro dial-up vibe.

Access Dear 404

Partner events

IPC Privacy Day event — Trustworthy AI in health: The promise, perils, and protections

Jan. 28, 2026, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Location: MaRS Discovery District, MaRS Centre, South Tower, 101 College Street, Suite 100

Event details

Artificial intelligence is rapidly re-shaping Ontario’s health system — from AI scribes that can ease clinician workloads and support administrative efficiency, to AI-enabled clinical tools that can accelerate diagnostics and improve treatment. But as the health care sector adopts these tools, the stakes for protecting privacy have never been higher.

Join Commissioner Kosseim for conversations exploring how AI is being deployed in Ontario’s health sector, what can go right, what can go wrong, and what safeguards are needed to protect personal health information and maintain patient trust.

Key areas for discussion include:

The real-world benefits and opportunities emerging from AI in health care
The risks and harms that can occur when AI is misused or poorly designed
The safeguards, governance frameworks and privacy protections needed to ensure responsible innovation.
Together, we’ll examine how AI can advance care without compromising safety, equity or trust.

A detailed agenda will be shared with attendees prior to the event. This event is free, but registration is required for both in person and online attendance. Simultaneous French translation will be provided for the webcast.

News & updates

News & updates

News & updates