OPC funds research projects focused on Canadians’ privacy while online gaming

OPC funds research projects focused on Canadians' privacy while online gaming

July 13, 2026 - Gatineau, Quebec

Privacy Commissioner of Canada Philippe Dufresne announced today the research projects that will be funded under his Office's 2026-2027 Contributions Program funding cycle.

Under the theme "Achievement unlocked: protecting privacy while online gaming," the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) selected nine projects that will advance knowledge related to the collection and use of personal information in the online gaming world.

Aligned with Commissioner Dufresne's strategic priority of protecting and promoting privacy at a time of rapid technological change, the research projects address key and emerging issues related to privacy. The projects include:

• An analysis of algorithmic pricing in online games to examine privacy-related harms associated with the practice and to develop recommendations to better protect children and other users;
• An assessment of the privacy implications of artificial intelligence-generated non-player characters to minimize the privacy impacts when gamers interact with these characters;
• An examination of the collection and use of eye tracking data in online games to identify privacy concerns;
• A study of the privacy risks related to data collection in the electronic sports and online gaming ecosystem to strengthen privacy protections;
• An analysis of youth understanding of commercial gaming data practices to develop educational resources.

For more information: Contributions Program projects currently underway.

The OPC's Contributions Program funds independent privacy research and initiatives that generate new ideas, approaches, and knowledge to help organizations better safeguard personal information and help Canadians make more informed decisions about how to protect their privacy.

The maximum funding available for each project is $100,000, with a maximum contribution payable to any single organization of $200,000.

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"The digital entertainment landscape continues to evolve rapidly, with streaming platforms, online multiplayer games, mobile games, and interactive communities being a part of everyday life for many Canadians, particularly teens. The selected research projects will help to deepen understanding of the privacy implications of online gaming and bring awareness to businesses of their privacy obligations."

Philippe Dufresne
Privacy Commissioner of Canada

Media contact

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of [email protected]