Submission to the Standing Committee on Petitions Regarding the Inquiry into the Standing Orders Relating to Petitions

Digital Rights Watch welcomes the opportunity to submit comments to the Standing Committee on Petitions regarding the inquiry into the standing orders relating to petitions. Petitions are a key way for individual Australians to participate in democratic processes. It is essential that they remain accessible to all and do not pose a threat to the privacy of signatories.

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Submission to the United Nations on the Impact of Digital and AI-Assisted Surveillance on the Rights to Freedom of Assembly and Association

Australians’ right to protest is eroded daily. Behind the scenes, digital surveillance is assisting this erosion, and AI has the potential to accelerate the damage. This is made possible by Australia’s weak privacy laws.

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Inquiry into the Internet Search Engine Services Online Safety Code and the under 16 social media ban

Photo by Julia M Cameron on Pexels

A simple ban of young people from social media will harm them. Young people, especially those in a minority group or remote areas of Australia, depend on the internet and social media to reach “their people”. When we limit their ability to do so, there is no replacement. They will simply be cut-off from key parts of society. Instead of an outright ban, we should focus our efforts on better regulation of social media algorithms and the targeting of content to drive advertising revenue, which would make children safer without restricting their ability to participate in society.

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Submission on Data and Digital Technology to Productivity Commission

Photo by ThisIsEngineering from Pexels

Digital Rights Watch (DRW) welcomes the opportunity to submit comments to the Productivity Commission in response to the interim report regarding the “Harnessing Data and Digital Technology” inquiry. DRW is excited for the possibilities digital technology brings to our lives. The Internet has done wonderful things for humanity and we can’t wait for the next wave of life-improving technology

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Submission to the Select Committee on Information Integrity on Climate Change and Energy

Photo by Tracy Le Blanc from Pexels

Climate change disinformation is pervasive, coordinated and highly damaging to democratic debate and urgent climate action. Disinformation creates confusion and splinters support for climate change action creating infighting and preventing meaningful support. Due to their business models, based around “engagement” and advertising, big tech companies are directly contributing to the proliferation of disinformation on their sites. This is enabling the erosion of citizens’ trust in legitimate climate science. Key vectors include astroturfing organisations, fossil-fuel-industry think-tanks, and privacy-invading social media algorithms, amplified by bots and generative AI.

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Submission to the OAIC regarding the Children's Online Privacy Code

General Position

Digital Rights Watch welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on the OAIC’s Phase 2 Consultation on the Children’s Online Privacy Code. We are aligned with the OAIC’s objective of protecting children through strengthened privacy protections, rather than preventing children from engaging in the digital world. The Internet is a vital component of modern civil life and it is vital for the health of our democracy and of us as individuals that children are able to participate in the online world.

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