A new advocacy organization has launched to fight to protect the human rights of Australian internet users.
With the backing of human and consumer rights organizations including CHOICE, Thoughtworks and the NSW Council for Civil Liberties and prominent Australians including human rights lawyer Julian Burnside, broadcaster Mary Kostakidis, and iiNet founder Michael Malone, Digital Rights Watch aims to combat the erosion of human rights in the online environment.
Digital Rights Watch Chair Tim Singleton Norton said the organization is committed to ensuring a free and open Internet as the cornerstone of a modern approach to human rights.
“The federal government is pursuing a number of schemes that will grossly infringe Australians’ human rights while they are using digital technology.
“The mandatory data retention scheme and mass surveillance operations such as the plan for a national facial biometric data capability have massive consequences for the privacy of ordinary people.
“Australian’s human rights to privacy are being compromised by widespread warrantless surveillance without adequate safeguards.
“Digital Rights Watch has formed because Australians need a strong advocate for their rights when they are online.
“We stand for privacy, democracy, fairness and freedom in a digital age, " said Mr Singleton Norton.
The first actions of Digital Rights Watch will be the roll out of a fortnightly policy briefing for the community on key issues that impact on their rights.
“Everyone who uses a telephone, has an email address, a Twitter account or any interaction with the Internet should know how their information is used and stored and be protected from abuse. Digital rights are important to everyone,” concluded Mr Singleton Norton.
For further information or interviews call Erin Farley on 0404 864 593
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Digital Rights Watch is connecting strategists with designers, programmers with lawyers and campaigners with journalists.
Partner organisations
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights
Australian Progress
CHOICE
Australian Privacy Foundation
Blueprint for Free Speech
Liberty Victoria
Thoughtworks
National Justice Project
NSW Council for Civil Liberties
Future Wise
Supporting individuals
Michael Malone, founder and former Managing Director of iiNet
Jennifer Robinson, Director of Legal Advocacy, Bertha Foundation
Mary Kostakidis, Broadcaster and journalist
Julian Burnside AO QC, Barrister & human rights advocate
Ass. Prof. Ellie Rennie, Deputy Director, Swinburne Institute for Social Research
Andrew Bartlett, former Senator and Research fellow, Australian National University
Prof. Rob Sparrow, Department of Philosophy, Monash University
Ben Eltham, journalist
Dr TJ McIntyre, Chair of Digital Rights Ireland
Antony Loewenstein, independent journalist, Guardian columnist and author
George Newhouse, Director, National Justice Project
Bernard Keane, journalist
Tracey Dunning, Industry & Policy, Regulatory Program Co-ordinator, Macquarie Telecom
John Lindsay, former CTO of iiNet & Internode
Helen Razer, journalist and commentator
Dr Paul Bernal, Lecturer, Information Technology, Intellectual Property and Media Law, UEA School of Law
Prof. Dianne Otto, Francine V McNiff Chair in Human Rights Law at Melbourne University, Director of the Institute for International Law and the Humanities
Prof. Ariadne Vromen, Dept of Government and International Relations, University of Sydney
Dr. Aim Simpeng, Dept of Government and International Relations, University of Sydney
Dr. Benedetta Brevini, Dept of Media and Communications, University of Sydney
Asher Wolf, journalist
Trisha Jha, libertarian commentator
Carly Nyst, Human rights lawyer
Prof. Julian Thomas, Swinburne University
Dr Angela Daly, Vice Chancellor’s Research fellow, Queensland University of Technology
Dr Tama Leaver, Senior Lecturer of Internet Studies, Curtin University
Dr Rebecca Giblin, Senior Lecturer, Monash Faculty of Law
Dr Monika Zalnieriute, Melbourne Law School
Brett Solomon, Access Now
