As Privacy Commissioner, I don’t think it is for me to challenge business models. I must operate in the economic world of a democracy with a free economy. However, it is my duty to ensure that privacy principles are respected in the exercise or application of these business models.
If, among other things, the notion of consent is not well applied by companies that want and are entitled to make a profit using people’s data, it’s not for me to second guess the business model, but to make sure that privacy principles are accepted. I would like to be able to do so more often at the beginning of the process rather than at the end, as is often the case right now.