Is it safe to store my SIN in my-id.ca?
Is it safe to store my SIN in my-id.ca?
Your Social Insurance Number (SIN) is one of the most sensitive identifiers you have, so it deserves care everywhere you use it — not just in my-id.ca. This guide explains, plainly, how my-id.ca protects the profile data you choose to store and how to stay in control of your SIN.
The short answer
- Stored data is encrypted with AES-256-GCM.
- It stays in Canada — profile data is held on Canadian servers.
- It is never sent to third-party AI. All AI processing runs on infrastructure my-id.ca operates; your data is not sent to OpenAI, Google, or Anthropic.
- You decide what to store. my-id.ca does not require your SIN — you can leave it out entirely.
- Autofill is off until you turn it on for a specific site, so saved details are only ever suggested on sites you chose.
What a SIN is — and the official guidance
A SIN is issued for employment, government benefits, and tax purposes. The Government of Canada advises you to:
- Not use your SIN as a piece of ID, and
- Share it only when it is legally required.
Read the current guidance on canada.ca — Social Insurance Number. my-id.ca is not a government service and is not affiliated with Service Canada.
How my-id.ca protects what you store
- Encryption at rest. Sensitive profile fields are encrypted with AES-256-GCM before they are stored.
- Canadian data residency. Your data and backups are kept in Canada.
- No third-party AI. Field context used to suggest autofill values is processed on my-id.ca's own infrastructure, not handed to external AI providers.
The binding description of these practices is the Privacy Policy.
You stay in control
- Store only what you want. A common approach is to save your name, address, and contact details and leave your SIN out, typing it manually on the rare forms that genuinely need it.
- Per-site autofill is opt-in. my-id.ca keeps autofill off for each website until you enable it there, so nothing sensitive is offered on sites you did not choose.
- Delete anytime. You can remove individual fields or delete your account from Settings → Account.
Practical habits
- Only enter your SIN where it is legally required (employer, CRA, government benefits).
- Be cautious of forms or emails asking for a SIN without a clear, lawful reason.
- On shared computers, sign out of the extension and your account.
Related guides
Questions
For account-specific help, use the developer support channel listed on the Chrome Web Store listing after reading the Privacy Policy.
Frequently asked questions
- Does my-id.ca encrypt my SIN?
- Profile data in my-id.ca is encrypted with AES-256-GCM and stored on servers located in Canada. Encryption protects data at rest; you still control whether your SIN is stored at all.
- Is my SIN ever sent to OpenAI, Google, or Anthropic?
- No. All AI processing in my-id.ca runs on infrastructure my-id.ca operates. Your profile content, including anything sensitive you store, is not sent to third-party AI providers.
- Do I have to store my SIN to use my-id.ca?
- No. my-id.ca works with whatever fields you choose to save. Many people store their name, address, and contact details but leave their SIN out and type it manually on the rare forms that truly need it.
- Where is my SIN actually required?
- Generally only for employment, government benefits, and tax-related purposes. The Government of Canada advises not to use your SIN as ID and to share it only when legally required. Confirm current guidance at canada.ca.