The National Cybersecurity Consortium (NCC) has announced Carleton University has been selected along with a slate of successful project proposals as part of its second annual Call for Proposals. Carleton’s Masoud Barati, School of Information Technology, and Nafiseh Kahani, Department of Systems and Computer Engineering, have been awarded $88,800 for their research and development cybersecurity project: Privacy Assurance for Canadian Children: A Safe and Secure Framework for Large Language Models.
Carleton’s funded project team seeks to improve online children’s data protection by introducing a new privacy-preserving software framework. As children are particularly vulnerable to privacy risks due to a lack of awareness of security practices, the team is addressing the need for personal data measures specifically for children. The framework will work within Large Language Models (LLM)-based platforms, like search engines and online games.
Incorporating Canadian regulations (PIPEDA, CPPA) and international cybersecurity best practices such as COPPA into their framework, the team aims to incorporate enhanced requirements such as:
- obtaining verifiable parental consent,
- providing clear notices about data protection practices,
- implementing data security measures, and
- granting parents control over data processing steps.
The new tool will monitor children’s data in real time, enabling improved enforcement of data regulation to protect children’s online safety.
In addition to Carleton University’s successful project application, funds have been distributed to 37 projects put forth by Canadian organizations representing academia, private institutions, and the not-for-profit sector.
“The National Cybersecurity Consortium’s $22.8 million investment is a critical contribution to the Canadian cybersecurity community that will facilitate cross-sectoral collaborations, drive economic growth, and establish or deepen our knowledge of core technologies that protect Canadians. The funded research and development projects will ultimately have broad impact on all Canadians as we work together to enhance our digital safety,” said Ken Barker, Scientific Director, National Cybersecurity Consortium.
The NCC’s Call for Proposals program supports projects that include:
- research and development projects, like Carleton’s, via the design and implementation of innovative cybersecurity technologies, advancing the “state-of-the-art”, and supporting studies into emerging cybersecurity issues;
- commercialization of new technology, developing products and services that address cybersecurity challenges in critical infrastructure protection, human-centric cybersecurity, network security, software security, and privacy protection; and
- provide and build opportunities for training, upskilling, and reskilling of cybersecurity professionals across myriad disciplines.
Learn more about Carleton’s project and how his team will use the funds to protect children from privacy risks online.