Privacy is essential to upholding democracy, reining in corporate power, and building a safe and fair digital future. The bill has been described as a ‘first tranche’ in the process …
Submission: The opportunities and impacts for Australia arising out of the uptake of AI technologies
We need not look to far-future hypothetical scenarios to understand the ways in which AI can cause harm: it is already happening. There is over a decade of case studies …
Submission: Communications Legislation Amendment (Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill 2024
We have significant concerns about the breadth of powers that the Communications Legislation Amendment (Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill 2024 proposes to grant the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) …
Submission: Inquiry into the influence and impacts of social media on Australian society
Human rights must be at the centre of Australia’s approach to tech policy Protecting, enhancing and upholding human rights is essential to ensuring Australia’s technology policy is robust, fit for …
Media release: Privacy Reform
Digital Rights Watch welcomes privacy reform, but more must be done urgently to bring our laws into the 21st century Today, the Attorney General tabled a set of privacy reforms, …
Submission: Statutory Review of the Online Safety Act
The Online Safety Act commenced in January 2022. It provides broad powers to the online safety regulator, the eSafety Commissioner. In November 2023, the Minister for Communications the Hon Michelle …
How Western Australia could lead the nation on privacy
Australians are sitting with anticipation awaiting August 2024, when the Commonwealth Government promised to deliver a draft bill to update the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act). But there’s another …
Submission: Basic Online Safety Expectations Amendment
The BOSE outline the Australian Government’s expectations that apps, websites, social media and other services will take reasonable steps to keep Australians safe. Read more about the BOSE on the …
Public health, children’s rights and privacy organisations deliver open letter to Attorney General calling for bold privacy reform
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 …
Submission: Online Safety Draft Industry Standards
Under the Online Safety Act, the eSafety Commissioner can require industry bodies to draft industry codes to deal with Class 1 and Class 2 material. In 2022, a group of …
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 …
2023 Wrap Up: what’s hot, what’s not, what’s coming…
This is our final update for 2023, so here’s a little roundup of the highlights and lowlights of the year, as well as a sneak peek into what’s coming in …
Posting protest photos? Here’s how to protect others’ identities
Sharing photos of protests is a great way to amplify the impact of collective action, raise awareness on important issues, and encourage more people to participate. We love it! But …
Submission: Digital ID Bill 2023 exposure draft
In October 2023 the Digital ID Taskforce (in the Department of Finance) closed a public consultation on the exposure draft of a proposed Digital ID Bill 2023. This follows their …
Submission: Identity Verification Services Bill
In September 2023 the Identity Verification Services Bill 2023 was introduced to Parliament. The Bill was referred to an Inquiry by the Senate Standing Committees on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, …
Campaign win: Australian government will not force sites to implement age verification
Yesterday, the Australian Government released the eSafety Commissioner’s long-awaited roadmap for age verification for online pornography. We are pleased to see that the federal government will not force websites to …
Submission: Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation Online
In January, the Minister for Communications announced that the Australian Government would introduce new laws to provide the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) with new powers to combat online …
Submission: Safe and Responsible AI
On 1 June 2023 the Department of Industry, Science and Resources opened a public consultation in response to a Discussion Paper called ‘Safe and responsible AI in Australia’. The Department …
DRW calls for regulation of RentTech amongst housing crisis
The real estate industry is often overlooked in conversations about data privacy and security, but it is one of the most data-invasive industries, accumulating huge amounts of personal information on …
DRW and EFA team up to support Australian Charter of Human Rights
Digital Rights Watch (DRW) and Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) have teamed up to make a joint submission calling for a federal Human Rights Act as well as a separate but …