We’re back for another edition of our monthly Digital Rights Watch update! We’ve been keeping busy building out our campaigns and movement―did you notice even our website got a little …
Guide: What does it mean for a city to commit to digital rights?
Thank you to everyone who has written to their local Council urging them to sign on to be a Digital Rights City! If you are eager to help your community …
The Five Eyes are still trying to undermine encryption
Another year, another Ministerial meeting of the Five Eyes —one of the most powerful known espionage alliances in history. Every year, Ministers from the five member countries (Australia, Canada, United …
September 2020 Roundup
The Data Availability and Transparency Bill When it comes to things too long to read, the 104 page exposure draft of the Data Availability and Transparency (DAT) Bill and accompanying documents …
The News Media Bargaining Code is not fit for any purpose
There’s no doubt in our minds that we want digital platforms to change–to treat our privacy as a priority, to ensure our data is protected and not used against our …
Submission: The proposed News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code
Along with many civil society organisations, Digital Rights Watch are concerned about the freedom of Australian press. The diversity and sustainability of an open and free press are essential pillars …
August 2020 Roundup
Hi friend! There’s never a dull moment in the fight for digital rights! Here’s your (inaugural) monthly Digital Rights Watch update, with an overview of recent digital rights issues to …
Submission: The UN Human Rights Council from Access Now and Digital Rights Watch
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United Nations Human Rights Council is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all UN Member States. …
Police drones and coronavirus surveillance
People should be able to use public spaces without being subjected to oppressive surveillance wherever they go. Yet, according to various media reports, police in Victoria are beginning to roll …
Submission: the proposed ASIO Amendment Bill 2020
The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) is conducting a review of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill 2020. The Department of Home Affairs’ proposed Australian Security Intelligence …
Australia needs to face up to the dangers of facial recognition technology
In the 20 years of the “war on terror” Australia has led from the front in expanding powers for law enforcement and ramping up surveillance at the expense of public …
Event: Facing up to facial recognition
Facial recognition technology has been deployed across Australia and around the world. It’s in the streets, at major sporting events and at the 7/11. Most alarmingly, it’s increasingly being used …
The Australian government’s concern about TikTok is not just about data ethics – it’s about politics
There are good reasons to be concerned about TikTok, but it should be part of a larger conversation around privacy and surveillance capitalism. While commenting on calls to ban TikTok …
A farewell from the founding Chair
Four years ago, a group of academics, technology experts and activists came together in the meeting rooms of Thoughtworks Australia with a shared vision: to unite in their advocacy against …
Campaign: Ban Mass Surveillance Facial Recognition
Facial recognition technology has been deployed across Australia. Local governments, corporations large and small, federal and state government departments and law enforcement agencies have rolled out these mass surveillance systems, …
Event: The Campsite Rule- Protecting our Rights in a Crisis
When you visit a campsite, we all know the right thing to do is to leave it better than we found it. The same rule should apply to our rights …
Navigating the COVIDSafe app rhetoric
Over the past few weeks we’ve seen the government pull out all the stops in an attempt to convince the Australian public to download the COVIDSafe App. There are plenty of …
ASIO bill highlights why the government has a problem with public trust
The government sure has asked for a lot of trust from the public recently. Australians have been asked to disregard a long history of overreach, scope creep, data breaches and …
Coronavirus and the police state
Some of the laws that have been enacted in recent weeks in response to the coronavirus are unprecedented. It’s now unlawful to do all sorts of everyday things, like venture …
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 …