Tim Hortons Illegally Tracked You For A Year — Its Apology Sounds Like A Joke

As noted in paragraph 93 of the settlement above, Tim Hortons’ operating and franchising company, The TDL Group Corp., agreed to delete all tracked user data that had been obtained illegally through the Tim Hortons app. Although, that may not be enough for those affected, especially those who value their privacy and security on the internet. What may be shocking is that the company essentially got off with little more than a slap on the wrist and a warning, and this is especially apparent if you read the fine print. TDL may have to pay nothing at all in terms of damages — if it manages to stay in alignment with PIPEDA over the course of a year. Some have taken notice of this and are actively holding Tim Hortons over the flames.

Others are apparently receiving emails from the Canadian coffee chain that promise free beverages and donuts to those who were affected. This is according to a user on RedFlagDeals, who cited an email from Tim Hortons promising little more than $6.70 worth of baked goods and coffee as an apology for the company’s violation of privacy over nearly a year and a half. As would be expected, this didn’t go unnoticed by the forum’s other users, and the responses were appropriately caustic. The value of consumer data is higher than ever in the digital age, and it sounds like Tim Hortons would do well to pay attention to how companies like Google are tackling privacy issues.