The province’s Privacy Commissioner encourages all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to ask their governments for robust laws protecting personal privacy.

Michael Harvey was responding to questions raised about the amount of information private companies collect from users.

Companies like Google and Facebook collect all kinds of information on users, such as their preferences, what they’re doing and where they’re going.

People have been raising questions after recently learning that Facebook can collect information on what you’re doing when not using the social media platform.

Harvey’s regulatory oversight is limited to public bodies in Newfoundland and Labrador, but he does have an education and advocacy role. He says governments have the ability to enforce laws to ensure privacy is protected.

“Significant and strong enforcement powers on the federal level can give teeth to laws and can make sure that companies operating in this country are doing so in accordance with our values,” says Harvey.