Latest Articles

Australia's new mass surveillance mandate

Posted on September 2, 2021 | in Articles

The Australian government has new laws on the books to hack your computer, your online accounts, and just about any piece of technology and networks you come into contact with. It can happen without a warrant and without you ever knowing. That’s just the start of it. Outraged? Good.

90+ digital rights organisations ask Apple to drop image surveillance plans

Posted on August 26, 2021 | in Media releases

Digital Rights Watch joins a coalition of more than 90 U.S. and international organizations dedicated to civil rights, digital rights, and human rights, in an open letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook, asking the company to abandon its recently announced plans to build surveillance capabilities into iPhones, iPads and other Apple products.

Submission: Right to Repair

Posted on August 25, 2021 | in Submissions

The Productivity Commission is conducting an inquiry into the ‘Right to Repair’. In June 2021 the draft report was released for public consultation. Digital Rights Watch teamed up with Electronic Frontiers Australia to provide a submission on the issues as they relate to digital rights.

July 2021 Roundup

Posted on August 6, 2021 | in Monthly updates

We’re well past the halfway mark of 2021 now and just when we think we’re going to have a quiet month, the world keeps turning…

Submission: Digital Identity – Position Paper

Posted on July 30, 2021 | in Submissions

In July, the Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) wrapped up a public consultation on the Digital Identity Legislation Position Paper. Needless to say, we are concerned about the way that an eID would interact with our digital rights (especially since the government has a long history of trying to tie identity to internet access) so we made a submission!

June 2021 Roundup

Posted on July 3, 2021 | in Monthly updates

Operation Ironside, where an encrypted communications application was used to trick and track criminals, gave us a media storm of discussions around surveillance. The Prime Minister used the opportunity to add some pressure on Parliament to pass three new pieces of legislation that would broaden Australia’s surveillance mandate even further. The first up was the International Productions Order Bill and it made it through the Australian Senate in a whopping 24 minutes.