A policy approach to technology

Big Brother takes a taxi

Trade-offs over our personal privacy are all around us, CLA’s Vice-President Tim Vines says in this story from The Australian, but often we get no chance to have our say about what level of privacy we want, and our consent is assumed. It shouldn’t be, he says.

Data breach bill could be much better

There’s a Bill lurking in the halls of federal parliament that should be amended before it is voted on again. The proposed data breach notification law – where you are told if someone secretly taps into your bank account, for example – contains major flaws which could be easily fixed, Prof Graham Greenleaf says.

Sexting: Matching reality and law

The Law Reform Committee of the Victorian Parliament has done exceedingly well to balance the interests of justice against the twin imperatives of rapidly-changing mores of teenagers and constantly-evolving technology. The recommendations for new sexting laws could provide a model for jurisdictions worldwide, Rhys Michie says.

Where were you when…?

When police or the spy agencies say they only want your metadata, what exactly does that mean? It isn’t what you say, but when, where, how, and to whom you say it. See how six months of ‘live’ metadata exposes someone’s life almost completely.Read artic…