The road to law reform is often long, and in the case of the Australian Privacy Act this latest iteration will prove no exception. In October 2020 the Australian government released an Issues Paper to explore the question of whether the Privacy Act 198…
Archives for 2020
Location, location, location: online or offline, privacy matters
One of the key findings of the OAIC’s latest Australian Community Attitudes to Privacy Survey is that 62% of Australians are uncomfortable with their location being tracked through their mobile or web browser. Our Kiwi cousins are remarkably similar:…
The Data-Sharing Dilemma
Who gets to use public sector data, for what purposes, and under what conditions? Whose data is it anyway? That is the debate at the heart of a proposal now being put forward by the Australian Government, in its exposure draft of the Data Availability…
Putting a price tag on privacy
We’ve all heard the saying: “if you’re not paying for the product, you are the product.” The underlying assumption of this phrase is that if we were paying for the product or service, then we wouldn’t need to ‘pay’ for it with our data. But what if…
Why privacy is a public good in need of better protection
We don’t live in a bubble, so why do privacy laws act like we do? It may seem counter-intuitive, but privacy is very much a public good. If we think of managing privacy as a private exercise, governed by our own actions and choices, then the regulatory…
Re-thinking transparency: If notice and consent is broken, what now?
The concept of consent may not yet be broken, but it is certainly under strain. Nowhere was this more evident than at the IAPP ANZ Summit in late 2019, where speaker after speaker hammered another nail in the coffin of the ‘notice and consent’ model of…
Should I download the COVID-Safe app? The privacy pros and cons
Last Sunday evening, as I was cosily snuggled up on my sofa watching a murder mystery, my phone started beeping like mad. I had multiple text messages from friends and family, all asking my advice on the same thing: ‘What’s with the covid app? Should…
Privacy in a pandemic: Keep calm, and remember first principles
Welcome to the new normal. This month we offer an overview of the privacy issues to think about as you navigate the new normal, with pointers to the best guidance we have found. Privacy is not just about data Is there a better illustration of the impor…
Privacy in design: Tranquil spaces to be ‘let alone’
I love Islamic architecture, for the arched doorways offering little glimpses into private worlds. ‘Smart cities’ are all fine and good for life’s necessary conveniences, with their state-of-the art parking tech lighting your way to vacancies, conveyer…
What should we do about facial recognition?
Privacy dies yet again In another masterful piece of privacy reporting, Kashmir Hill in the New York Times has exposed the nefarious use of facial recognition technology by start-up Clearview. The business offers face searching and identification servi…
