Media Releases

Media Release: Social Media Ban Starts

Posted on December 10, 2025 | in media releases

10 December 2025

Digital Rights Watch’s essential guide to the under-16 social media ban.

Today the Albanese social media ban comes into effect: allowing the rotten influence of big social media corporations on society to continue unabated rather than actually curbing them with broader social media reform.

Media Release: National AI Plan

Posted on December 3, 2025 | in media releases

02 December 2025

The Federal Government’s thin National AI Plan folds to Big Tech: unleashing AI training on public and private data with no guardrails.

Productivity Commission promotes big tech’s regulatory agenda over the rights of Australians

Posted on August 7, 2025 | in media-releases

Digital Rights Watch is disappointed but unsurprised that the Productivity Commission has swallowed the AI marketing hype. Their recent interim report advocates for a pause on regulation and discusses approaches that would roll-back the few existing protections that we have. This is at odds with most Australians who want the government to act to protect them from harm by unaccountable and unfair AI systems.

Media Release: OAIC Determination on Bunnings

Posted on November 19, 2024 | in media releases

Digital Rights Watch welcomes OAIC landmark determination that Bunnings breached Australians’ privacy with facial recognition

Digital Rights Watch welcomes the determination from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner today on Bunnings’ use of dangerous and invasive facial surveillance technology. This represents a landmark decision and corporate Australia should take as a warning about the use of this technology.

Public health, children's rights and privacy organisations deliver open letter to Attorney General calling for bold privacy reform

Posted on February 9, 2024 | in Media releases

The Australian government must act on its commitment to bold reform of Australia’s Privacy Act in order to uphold the safety, wellbeing and autonomy of children, according to an open letter today delivered to Attorney General Mark Dreyfus. The Open Letter was coordinated by Digital Rights Watch, and has been co-signed by 22 organisations across public health, children’s rights, and privacy advocacy. It also has over 800 signatures from members of the public in support.

Local and international organisations urge Australia's eSafety Commissioner against requiring the tech industry to scan users' personal files and messages

Posted on December 20, 2023 | in Articles , Media releases

40 organisations from around the world have today delivered a joint letter to Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, calling for protections for privacy, digital security and end-to-end encryption.