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 …
Local and international organisations urge Australia’s eSafety Commissioner against requiring the tech industry to scan users’ personal files and messages
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. The letter was coordinated …
Organisations publish open letter on behalf of parents calling for bold privacy reform
Bold reform to Australia’s Privacy Act is essential to the safety, wellbeing and autonomy of children growing up as digital natives, according to an open letter today published by Digital …
Media Release: Privacy Review Report
After over two years of consultation and review of the Privacy Act, today the Attorney General’s Department has released the final report and over 100 recommendations for reform. As digital …
Media Release: New report shows how big-tech is undermining local creative and media industries
The growing power of big tech platforms in the internet economy is hurting local industries and harming communities according to a new report from Digital Rights Watch.
Optus data breach shows need for stronger privacy laws
Last week Optus announced what may be the largest data breach in Australian history, potentially exposing the personal information of almost 10 million people. Current and former Optus customers are …
Media Release: Amazon’s acquisition of Roomba raises privacy concerns
Privacy protections are a vital line of defence against expanding corporate power.
Media Release: Australian digital rights and security experts raise alarmed over draconian bail conditions imposed on protesters.
NSW Police have imposed bail conditions on at least one Blockade Australia activist that would prohibit the use of encrypted communication apps such as WhatsApp and Signal. NSW police also imposed conditions forcing the activists to hand over any communications device to police and provide passcodes upon request.
Rights groups call for strong privacy protections in home quarantine apps
The Human Rights Law Centre and Digital Rights Watch have written to federal, state and territory health ministers calling for stronger privacy protections in the technology being used to support …
90+ digital rights organisations ask Apple to drop image surveillance plans
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 …
Onus on Government to Earn Public Trust On Tracing App
JOINT MEDIA RELEASEDIGITAL RIGHTS WATCHHUMAN RIGHTS LAW CENTRECENTRE FOR RESPONSIBLE TECHNOLOGY An alliance of digital rights groups urged the Morrison Government to fill in obvious gaps in the development of …
Covid App Data Hosted Overseas is Vulnerable to US Law
Choosing Amazon Web Services to host the covid-19 contact tracing app data risks exposing private information about Australians to US law enforcement, Digital Rights Watch Chair Lizzie O’Shea. “Storing data …
Another empty assurance from government can’t restore trust in Covid App
Attorney-General Christian Porter’s statement that the police will not have access to metadata from the government’s Covid19 contact tracing app is wholly inadequate, Digital Rights Watch chair Lizzie O’Shea said …
Guarantee Limits and Protections on Covid App or it will Fail
After years of attacking personal privacy, it is little wonder that the announcement from the Federal Government of a location tracking app has been met with scepticism, Digital Rights Watch …
Government Must Come Clean On Phone Surveillance
The federal government must come clean about the nature and extent of its data aggregation from mobile service providers, Digital Rights Watch chair Lizzie O’Shea said today. “It’s deeply troubling …
100+ human rights groups demand global governments not use coronavirus pandemic as cover for expanding digital surveillance
A global coalition of 100 human rights and civil liberties organisations have today united to tell world governments not to use the coronavirus pandemic as a cover to usher in …
Personal privacy must be protected during the coronavirus epidemic
The government must not expand their use of dangerous untested technology during this emergency, digital rights experts have warned today. “We’re already seeing reports from the US and elsewhere that …
Bipartisan contempt for human rights continues to drag Australia into a police state
Digital rights experts have today revealed how continued bipartisan passage of national security legislation through federal parliament has caused a generation-long weakening of Australians’ fundamental human rights. “It’s appalling to …
Clearview AI Data Breach – Another reason for moratorium on the use of facial recognition technologies
The Clearview AI data breach reveals that Australian law enforcement agencies are using the company’s facial recognition tools for identification purposes without any oversight or privacy protections, digital rights experts …
Breach of trust shows metadata retention scheme must be repealed
Digital security advocates have expressed outrage at revelations that Australian law enforcement agencies have been potentially abusing mandatory metadata retention laws and receiving data explicitly excluded from the legislation. “It …