News

Watchlist: data brokers

Posted on October 17, 2016 | in News

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.

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Watchlist: Using 'Free' Online Services

Posted on September 23, 2016 | in News

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).

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Watchlist: Copyright and fair use

Posted on September 21, 2016 | in News

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.

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