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The World VPN Week is Underway Calling You to Join In
We are in the middle of the “World VPN Week”, and you have more reasons to use a VPN than ever before. IPVanish took the initiative to announce the establishment of the yearly event, but it’s up to us to embrace and lift it up.
Fact Check: Can algorithms screen out hate content on social media at a moment's notice?
The Federal Government put social media companies on notice after the Christchurch massacre for failing to prevent the shooter's actions being broadcast and promoted online. Do social media companies have the capability to write algorithms that can remove hate content within seconds?
Would life be happier without Google? I spent a week finding out
Halfway through my week without Google, my wife mentions that she would like to go out to see a film that evening, and I agree to deal with the logistics. In what I initially think is an inspired move, I drop by the local cinema on the way home and scribble down all the film times in my notebook.
Big Brother at the Mall
Is facial recognition coming to a store near you? The privacy-protection debate in Congress is moving beyond e-commerce to bricks-and-mortar stores. Already, magic mirrors and in-store beacons log shoppers’ data.
Huawei's new 50x SuperZoom camera on its P30 Pro smartphone sparks privacy concerns
Related Story: Has Australia jumped the gun on banning Huawei? Related Story: Huawei and Apple smartphones are both made in China, so what is the difference? Related Story: Huawei lashes out at Australia and others for 'malicious' and 'unfair' treatment The 50x digital "SuperZoom" on Huawei's latest
Welcome to the age of surveillance capitalism
When you speak to your virtual home assistant, such as your Alexa speaker device, is anyone else listening? Many of the owners of these fast-selling internet-connected gadgets, with 78 million bought worldwide last year alone, have wondered. Last week, we discovered the answer – quite possibly.
Jailed for journalism: WikiLeaks editor Hrafnsson on Assange case | The Listening Post (Lead)
Six years, nine months, three weeks, two days after taking refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy, the impasse was broken when WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was dragged out of the building by British police in response to an extradition request from the United States.When it comes to media personalitie
Tracking Phones, Google Is a Dragnet for the Police
When detectives in a Phoenix suburb arrested a warehouse worker in a murder investigation last December, they credited a new technique with breaking open the case after other leads went cold.
UK plans bar on Facebook likes for kids
Facebook and other social media companies may have to turn off the 'like' function for British children under proposed guidelines to ensure their safety online.
Facebook and Instagram won't change voters' minds
With the official campaign period of the federal election now underway, commentators have begun to think about not only the ways that the various parties and candidates will use to try to persuade voters, but also to any potential threats we are facing to the integrity of the election.
Whatever you think of Julian Assange, his extradition to the US must be opposed
States that commit crimes in foreign lands depend on at least passive acquiescence. This is achieved in a number of ways.
It’s Your iPhone. Why Can’t You Fix It Yourself?
When the tools of modern life stop working, people should be able to shop for the best price on repairs. The editorial board represents the opinions of the board, its editor and the publisher. It is separate from the newsroom and the Op-Ed section.
Archive.org hit with hundreds of false terrorist content notices from EU
Nations around the world are cracking down on online terrorist content, introducing legislation that penalizes sites and ISPs if they fail to remove suspect content.
The hidden campaign: How are you being targeted this election?
This federal election, the ABC is digging into how political messages are being crafted to influence your vote.
Amazon staff listen to customers' Alexa recordings, report says
When Amazon customers speak to Alexa, the company’s AI-powered voice assistant, they may be heard by more people than they expect, according to a report.
Net Neutrality Vote Passes House, Fulfilling Promise by Democrats
WASHINGTON — The House passed legislation on Wednesday that would guarantee broadband internet users equal access to online content, in a crucial step toward bringing back so-called net neutrality regulations overturned at the start of the Trump administration.
Australia Doubles Down on Digital Surveillance, Gets First Monero-Based Nonprofit
In December 2018, Australia amended its 1997 Telecommunications Act to make it simpler for law enforcement and intelligence agencies to gain access to people’s personal electronic devices.
Industry and lawmakers lash out at poor govt consultation on new content streaming bill
The government’s swift move to pass new legislation on fining or potentially jailing social media companies and executives for not quickly removing violent content from their platforms, has been met with real concern from the IT industry and law sector for lack consultation.
Mark Zuckerberg Does Not Speak for the Internet
This past weekend, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg took to the pages of the Washington Post to ask governments and regulators to play a more active role in policing the Internet, and to offer some ideas for how they should do so.
Australia Says Facebook Took Too Long To Take Down The Christchurch Video. Now The Government Has Made It A Crime
Australia's parliament has passed a law that could send tech executives to jail for failing to remove violent videos quickly enough.
Australian election: Facebook restricts foreign 'political' ads but resists further transparency
Facebook has announced it will restrict “political” ads from being bought by non-Australians during the election campaign, but will not be rolling out other key political ad transparency features used in other countries until after the election.
Tech Head: Budget automates welfare reporting & blocking robocalls
The Federal Government says it'll save $2.1bn over five years by automating the reporting of income of people on welfare. And why human rights could be impacted by the Bill supporting the Government's big stick approach with social media platforms which allow terrorist content to be shared.
Jailing social media bosses won't make us safer from terrorists
Legislating out of fear and in a hurry is a well-known recipe for disaster.
Facebook 'still allowing' Chch gunman's video, UK MP rages as dozen copies found
A senior UK MP has raged against Facebook for what he calls "disgusting" abdication of responsibility as copies of the Christchurch gunman's video were found on the social network earlier this week.
Australia’s New Laws on Livestreaming Violent Content Pack a Punch for Social Platforms
Australia’s attorney general, Christian Porter, and its communications and arts minister, Mitch Fifield, issued a statement detailing Criminal Code Amendment (Sharing of Abhorrent Violent Material) Bill 2019, which was passed by the country’s House of Representatives Thursday after the Senate di
Loki registers as the first Australian not-for-profit privacy firm
Privacy network Loki claims it is now Australia’s first privacy software not-for-profit organisation – and the timing couldn’t be better as the country grapples with new encryption laws and new ways to secure privacy rights.
Instagram, Youtube and Facebook could face fines (and jail time) under new Australian laws
Executives at Facebook, YouTube and 4Chan could face jail time under new "world-first" laws designed to stop the sharing of violent videos and images on social networks.
Social media companies which fail to remove violent content face fines or jail time in Australia
Australia has announced tougher penalties on social media platforms to ensure they act on violent content. Facebook revealed that it removed 1.5 million instances of the video, with 1.2 million blocked at upload.
What If Google And Facebook Admitted That All This Ad Targeting Really Doesn't Work That Well?
You may have heard the famous line from early department store magnate John Wanamaker that "half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don't know which half.
Internet censorship fears over new Bill
A new Bill being introduced aims to impose criminal liability on social media platform executives if they do not remove violent content from their sites. However, the new legislation has been criticised, with fears that it could have some serious unintended consequences for Australian human rights.
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Changes to Australia’s criminal code will create a new class of internet ce
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Government can’t regulate Facebook – it’s up to all of us
I didn’t see this coming but … I agree with Mark Zuckerberg. The Facebook chief executive has called for more government regulation of the internet. And what he has said is pretty sensible, if a little light on detail.
Why am I seeing this?: New Facebook tool to demystify news feed
Facebook is attempting to demystify how its news feed works with a new feature that explains to users how it picks the posts and adverts to show them.
Newly Disclosed NSA Documents Shed Further Light on Five Eyes Alliance
In July 2017, Privacy International and Yale Law School’s Media Freedom & Information Access Clinic (MFIA) filed a lawsuit against the National Security Agency, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the State Department, and the National Archives and Records Administration se
Programs : The Grapevine – 1 April 2019, The Grapevine — Triple R 102.7FM, Melbourne Independent Radio
Putting local issues in a global context, including weekly insights into our cities, democracy, rights, culture, energy and environment. All stitched together with a mixtape of music.
Why the internet needs new rules, and where to start
Technology is a major part of our lives, and companies such as Facebook have immense responsibilities. Every day, we make decisions about what speech is harmful, what constitutes political advertising, and how to prevent sophisticated cyber attacks.
What Apple could teach mom Gwyneth Paltrow about technology
Gwyneth Paltrow is many things – an A-list actress, an entrepreneur, a woman who has built a business empire on charging eye-watering amounts for self-care products that sound as if they were invented during a free-association session at the local poetry night – but she is not known for being re
Apple Martin tells off mother Gwyneth Paltrow for sharing photo without consent
Gwyneth Paltrow’s teenage daughter has criticised her mother for posting a picture of her online without her consent, a reaction experts say will become more common as a generation that has been snapped since their birth grows up.
Facebook to ban promotion of white nationalism
Facebook is set to ban the "praise, support and representation of white nationalism and separatism". The social network, which also owns Instagram, has come under pressure after the Christchurch attacks were live-streamed on its platform.
Law, big data and new technologies in Australia
Government engagement with issues such as cyber security, data protection, privacy and artificial intelligence is imperative.
Tech companies renew their calls for encryption bill amendments
Technology heavyweights have stepped up their fight against the government's controversial encryption bill, calling for it to make good on promises to pass amendments before the federal election.
Microsoft says encryption laws make companies wary of storing data in Australia
Related Story: No more WhatsApp? How the proposed encrypted message access laws will affect you Related Story: 'It beggars belief': Tech leaders say encryption law will devastate Australian businesses Related Story: What happened to our ideas boom? 'Scarred' tech industry licks its wounds Microsoft
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Tech industry says Coalition's encryption bill has put it 'in a chokehold'
Australian tech heavyweights, led by Atlassian’s Scott Farquhar, have intensified their call for the government to amend its controversial encryption-cracking bill before the coming election.
More than 110,000 Australians caught up in September's Facebook cyber-attack
The detailed personal information of more than 60,000 Australians was exposed in a massive cyber-attack on Facebook last year, giving hackers the ability to access their movements, hometown, search history, email and phone number.
Penalties for extremist social media content needs further thought
Digital Rights Watch have today warned that proposed laws that would make it a criminal offence for social media companies to leave videos filmed by terrorists on their sites require more consultation to ensure they work effectively.
Government to boost fines for privacy breaches
The government says it will legislate increase the penalties that can be levied under the Privacy Act to 10 per cent of a company’s turnover, $10 million, or three times the value of a benefit obtained through the misuse of information, whichever is greater, up from a current cap of $2.
Struggling OAIC gets a $25m boost
The national data authority would get a $25 million funding boost and stronger penalties would be introduced for tech giants that oversee data breaches under a government policy proposal.
Upload filters and one-hour takedowns: the EU’s latest fight against terrorism online, explained
Though acts of terrorism take place in the real world, they attain a kind of online afterlife. Materials like those from the recent Christchurch shooting proliferate as supporters upload them to any media platform they can reach.