Privacy Policy (Websites, Web Apps & APIs)

Policy last updated on 3 March 2023.

This Privacy Policy explains the collection and use of personal data through websites, web applications and application programming interfaces (“websites”) maintained by Refugee Law Lab. It also outlines the rights users have with respect to personal data that the Refugee Law Lab collects about them from our websites. The Refugee Law Lab respects the privacy of website visitors and will not sell or lease personal data collected from our websites or use it for a purpose that is different than what it was originally collected for.

Please note that this policy specifically addresses data collected from our websites. In addition to such data, in our work on refugee adjudication we publish research and datasets on the outcomes of cases at all levels of Canada’s refugee determination system. The research and datasets are based either on publicly available information obtained from government bodies or information obtained through data-sharing agreements with government bodies. Some of the data may include identifying information—such as the names of decision-makers and legal counsel. Other data may include information that could, either on its own or in combination with other datasets, identify other individuals – including refugee claimants.

The Refugee Law Lab recognizes that this research raises challenging questions about how to balance protecting privacy, enhancing government transparency, addressing information asymmetries, and building technologies that leverage data to advance the rights and interests of refugees and other displaced people.

More broadly, the Refugee Law Lab also recognizes that considerations around privacy and data protection are complex and evolving. When working on migration, refugee law, data, technology and surveillance, we strive to foreground intersectional understandings of the systemic harms perpetuated against groups historically made marginalized. As our work at the Refugee Law Lab continues to expand, we will endeavor to keep this perspective front of mind.

Despite our best efforts, we recognize that we may not always get the balance between privacy and other considerations right. If you have comments or advice about how we might best achieve that balance please feel free to reach out to us at RefugeeLab@yorku.ca.  

Websites

Websites maintained by the Refugee Law Lab may include forms where we gather information provided voluntarily by website visitors for various purposes, such as signing up for our listserv or applying for jobs. When such information is sought, we will endeavor to outline why we are gathering the information that we ask for and set out what we will do with the information.

Some websites maintained by the Refugee Law Lab use Google Analytics to help us better understand our traffic. Google Analytics uses first party cookies and collects data related to a user’s device, web browser, and IP address, which provides geolocation data.  It may take up to two years for cookies from Google Analytics to expire. We do not use any Google Analytics advertising features. You can find more details on how Google Analytics collects, uses, and safeguards data on its’ Safeguarding your data page. Website visitors can opt out of tracking through Google Analytics by installing a privacy browser extension such as Privacy Badger

Some websites maintained by the Refugee Law Lab use Cloudflare for security and optimization. Cloudflare collects information from visitors, including IP addresses and other data. Their privacy policy is available here.

External Links

Links on the Refugee Law Lab website may lead you to external sites that use cookies, tracking, and/or have their own privacy policy.  The Refugee Law Lab has no control over these websites.

Your Rights

The Refugee Law Lab’s collection, use, and retention of personal data is governed by Ontario’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Under the FIPPA, individuals have the right to access personal information collected about them, and to correct that personal information where there might be errors or omissions.  Individuals in Ontario also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.

Please write to RefugeeLab@yorku.ca if you would like to exercise your rights under the FIPPA.

Changes to this Policy

Changes to the policy will be clearly communicated to website visitors. The date that the policy was last updated is listed at the top of the policy.

Explanation of Changes

7 April 2021: Initial version

3 March 2023: Modified to cover not just the Refugee Law Lab website, but also other websites, web applications and application programming interfaces maintained by the Refugee Law Lab. Details about Cloudflare also added.