[Mb-civic] CBC News - STUDENTS WRITING LSAT WARNED ABOUT PRIVACY THREAT

Mon Feb 13 17:30:32 PST 2006

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STUDENTS WRITING LSAT WARNED ABOUT PRIVACY THREAT
WebPosted Mon Feb 13 11:00:56 2006

---The University of Ottawa is warning aspiring lawyers that they may be
giving up their privacy when they hand over thumbprints while taking an
admission test administered by a U.S. company.

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT), which is used by universities
around the world, requires prospective students to provide an imprint of
their thumb and other personal information, a move to prevent students
from hiring smart impostors to write the test on their behalf.

A private company in the United States, the Law School Admission Council,
administers the test.

Privacy experts and students are worried about how the Patriot Act,
which allows U.S. agencies to secretly collect personal information in
the name of national security, might affect information handed over to
the company.

"The act gives the power to agencies such as the FBI to get access to
information that is sent to the U.S.," said Daniel Gervais, acting dean
of the common-law section at the University of Ottawa.

The website of the faculty of law says the university is "greatly worried
by the use of personal information" required by the LSAT, especially the
thumbprint.

Last week, David Loukidelis, B.C.'s information and privacy commissioner,
agreed to investigate the company's request for information after a
student complained about the requirement.

"We'll be looking at, 'Is it appropriate to force someone who wants to
take that test to give up that personal identifier in the nature of a
thumbprint?'" said Loukidelis.

A spokesman for the Law School Admission Council says the U.S. government
has never requested information on a student taking the law exam, but the
law council is investigating how it would be required to handle the
situation if it arose.

"We're seeking legal opinion now about exactly what circumstances would
have to be in place before that could happen," said Jim Vaseleck, a
lawyer with the council.