Mark Summerfield, a patent attorney, analyses the current UK alleged piracy/copyright extradition case with major international ramifications. As well, there's links to the NYT coverage of proposed new US laws which are even more draconian, and to an SMH story of the real-life experience of an Australian extradited and jailed in the US for a similar 'offence'.

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Information Commissioner Prof John McMillan has agreed to highlight the risks surrounding biometric technology to both government and the private sector in future. His positive response follows a campaign by Civil Liberties Australia, the Australian Privacy Foundation and others over many months to raise appropriate awareness among those choosing security systems.

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The Father of Freer Information in Australia, Senator John Faulkner, has given his creation – the Office of the Information Commissioner – a tick for achievements in its first 12 months. But he has reminded the Information, Privacy and FOI Commissioners that the big battles are still ahead, and that government information is a national resource.

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As each week passes, slick salespeople flog new "miracle" surveillance cameras. Here, a report indicates national chain stores are installing devices that analyse shoppers emotions, pick their gender, guess their age, deduce their mood. As CLA's National Media Director, Tim Vines, points out, shops infringe people's privacy if a person's image is used for a purpose they are not aware of.

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The resignation of Ombudsman Allan Asher, pressured by the Executive Government, highlights the need for greater independence of the office, and a return to proper funding. John Wood – himself a former Deputy Ombudsman, and now consultant to Pacific states on the role – relates the history and urges taking the vital next step in protecting such an important citizens' advocate.

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The federal government has created another secret database where people merely "suspected" of arson will be tagged and flagged, to be hounded throughout summer if as much as a match strikes in their suburb. CLA is concerned that 'mates' will put mates' names down as a prank, neighbours in dispute will add the name of someone they don't like to the database: the traditional right of "innocent until proven guilty" is being trashed by governments in Australia.

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Phone data access being used to enforce fines

Police and crime agencies tapped people's phones and electronic equipment at the rate of about 10 a day last year – 3488 warrants were issued – while nearly 600 surveillance devices (10 a week) went into operation around Australia. Surveillance is on the rise, and privileged access to phone data is also increasingly being used for mundane activities such as collecting council fines and enforcing the dog act, via RSPCAs.

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