Latest Articles

Watchlist: data brokers

Most people are aware that websites and online services collect data about them in order to serve them with targeted advertising. They may also know that physical stores use ‘rewards’ programs such as loyalty cards to link purchases and serve consumers with targeted discounts and sale offers.

Watchlist: Algorithms and big data

More and more people talk about big data and algorithms to do all sorts of things. What are these concepts and what do they tell us about the world we live in?

Concerns around proposed amendments to Privacy Act

Digital Rights Watch have raised deep concerns over proposed changes to the Privacy Act, citing the need for community and expert consultation before any legislation is introduced.

Submission to Senate inquiry into Census 2016

In the lead-up to the 2016 Census, DRW raised concerns around the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ choice to make mandatory the collection, retention and protection of citizen’s names and addresses.

Watchlist: Using 'Free' Online Services

What is it?

A wide variety of services, products and platforms are available free of charge online. They range from almost ubiquitous services such as Google to game apps like Pokémon Go, to highly specialised niche apps like Carr Matey (which will tell you where you parked your car, but in a pirate voice).

Watchlist: Copyright and fair use

What are we talking about?

Much of the content we share on the web, such as articles, pictures and videos, is subject to copyright law. That means that the right to use, share or modify the creative work belongs to the author. The Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) gives authors copyright over literary, dramatic, musical or artistic ideas automatically. The author can also sell this right to someone else, like a film studio or a record label. If someone uses the work without permission from the author of the person who holds the rights (often called the ‘rights-holder’) over the work, that person may be in breach of copyright.