Surrey Creep Catchers investigation could be the end: lawyer
Posted February 20, 2017 11:11 pm.
Last Updated February 21, 2017 8:56 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — This could be the beginning of the end for the Surrey Creep Catchers now that BC’s privacy watchdog is investigating a complaint.
Vancouver Lawyer Paul Doroshenko specializes in criminal law and says, “if I was advising them, I would be telling them to shut down.”
BC’s Personal Information Protection Act rules against collecting and publishing information without telling someone why it’s being collected.
“If you collect information you have to be forthcoming about why you’re collecting it, and if you’re disseminating information that you’ve collected before you do it. They’re sending emails or messages or direct messages or what have you back and forth with the people they’re trying to trap.”
Doroshenko says it is just a matter of time before the vigilante group’s sexual predator hunt runs into trouble.
“Myself, and pretty much every other lawyer I know has been looking at it apprehensively thinking this is something that could backfire on them.”
Violating provincial privacy legislation could result in a fine of up to $100,000.
Doroshenko says the cost could be much higher if the accused has to foot the bill for a target’s lost income.
