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If you're worried about privacy, you should worry about the 2016 census

First published on ABC The Drum

If you blinked, you missed it. On December 18 last year, the Australia Bureau of Statistics announced that at the 2016 census in August it would, for the first time, retain all the names and addresses it has collected “to enable a richer and dynamic statistical picture of Australia“.

New group launches to protect online rights

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.

Big Data, Big Opportunities

We are living in a data saturated world, which presents a range of challenges and exciting possibilities for human rights lawyers and activists. The age of computers, the internet, and smart phones has created an unprecedented number of information sensing devices, generating lots of data about their users. Examples of such data include shopping habits, individual location and movements, political opinions, internet searches, friend networks, social media use, and even health information.

Protecting Yourself From Mandatory Data Retention

The Government and ALP regime of mass electronic surveillance – mandatory data retention for every man, woman and child, and every device in the country – started in October 2015. **Senator Scott Ludlam explains how to get around it. ** To stop the government spying on your every move, you can take the steps listed below. The alternatives here are just some of the options available, this is by no means a comprehensive list. There are a lot of great resources easily searchable online.

Take action to protect the Australian Internet

The Australian government is pursuing a draconian policy agenda that threatens every aspect of the way we use the Internet. Take action to keep the Internet open, free and just.

How to set up a VPN and why you should

Excellent overview of why you should set up a VPN and how to go about it.