Watchdog Flags Privacy Risks in Military Intelligence
The National Security and Intelligence Review Agency says military open-source collection lacks adequate safeguards for Canadians' personal information.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Military
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Canada's National Security and Intelligence Review Agency has flagged privacy risks in the Defence Department's and Canadian Armed Forces' collection of publicly available online information for intelligence purposes. National Defence is reviewing the watchdog's findings and recommendations.
Why it matters
The findings point to gaps in how military intelligence gathering from the internet is documented and justified when it involves information about Canadians. Canadians whose personal details are swept up in online collection have limited visibility into how that data is handled.
The review examined open-source intelligence gathering from late February 2022 to the end of February 2025, and found the military did not perform evaluations on 15 data providers that collect information about individuals. The report does not indicate how many Canadians' records were collected or what remedial steps are planned.
The players
National Security and Intelligence Review Agency
An independent federal review body that examines the national security and intelligence activities of Canadian government departments and agencies.
Canadian Armed Forces
The unified military force of Canada, responsible for national defence and related operations at home and abroad.
The details
Military analysts use web browsers, software applications and online databases to gather publicly available information to maintain situational awareness and address intelligence requirements. The watchdog found the military relies on companies that collect and sell vast amounts of online information, and that its online collection related to the COVID-19 pandemic included personal information about Canadians not directly related to the operation's purpose.
Timeline
Late February 2022 to end of February 2025: period covered by the watchdog's review of open-source intelligence gathering.
November 4, 2026: the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency publishes its report on military online intelligence privacy risks.
Military Oversight
The review tests how the Defence Department and Canadian Armed Forces use their statutory authority to collect publicly available internet information, which has been used to maintain situational awareness and meet intelligence needs. The findings suggest oversight is concentrating on whether collection involving Canadians is necessary and documented, rather than on whether the authority exists.
Canadians whose personal information appears in military online intelligence collection may have limited ways to learn whether it was gathered or retained. Changes to record-keeping and data-provider reviews could affect how that information is handled going forward.
The takeaway
Public oversight of military intelligence increasingly depends on documenting why information about citizens is collected and how it is evaluated. Clear records of necessity and vetted data sources are what allow that oversight to be meaningful.
Further reading
For more on how Canada's defence forces approach intelligence and oversight, see Military coverage.
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