Promoting and protecting digital rights since 1994

EFA is an independent non-profit association that relies on membership subscriptions and donations. If you're concerned about digital rights in Australia, please join or donate today.
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Updates from EFA
Privacy

EFA Challenges Australians to Fix the “Privacy Paradox” This World Data Privacy Day

Written by John Pane, Chair of Electronic Frontiers Australia Inc. If you’re reading this on January 26, it’s Australia Day. As a public holiday, odds are you’re at a BBQ, enjoying the company of friends and family, and the familiar mix of conversations and banter that BBQs usually bring. Perhaps you have a delicious lamb chop (or a vegetarian-friendly alternative) in one hand, and your favourite beverage in the other. This year, why not turn

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Artificial Intelligence

Open Letter from Electronic Frontiers Australia Inc to the ACCC

This open letter was written by Gillian Dempsey, a barrister and board member of the Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA). Currently the e-Safety Commissioner has attempted to only protect minors from predatory algorithms from particular scheduled Social Media applications pursuant to the Online Safety Rules 2025. These rules only apply to children under the age of 16, but, as a barrister I see several considerable problems that arise from the restriction of access for under 16’s

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Uncategorized

Regulate the system, not the child

This post was written by EFA Vice Chair Julian Watchorn. The lessons emerging from AI governance debates are directly relevant to online safety, where reliance on voluntary compliance and identity-based controls threatens privacy and rights while leaving harmful platform design largely unregulated.  Much of the current debate about children’s online safety has narrowed to age verification and age-based bans. While age limits have a place, they risk diverting attention from the underlying problem. The central

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Artificial Intelligence

Digital Fairness, AI Self-Regulation and the Limits of Voluntary Safety Framework

This post was written by EFA Vice Chair Julian Watchorn and EFA board member Kirsten Frederiksen. 1. The Limits of Corporate Self-Regulation A longstanding axiom in public policy is that corporate self-regulation is ineffective whenvast sums of money are at stake. This has been demonstrated repeatedly across sectors such as finance, environmental protection, tobacco, gambling, and digital platforms. Where commercial incentives strongly favour rapid growth, market dominance, or first-mover advantage, voluntary safeguards tend to weaken,

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Uncategorized

Results of 2025 EFA Annual General Meeting

Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) held its Annual General Meeting on 29 November 2025, with 16 candidates vying for 7 board positions.  We used Opavote to manage the election process and, after the processing of preferences, we welcome the re-appointment of our existing board members and the appointment of 5 new board members for 2025/2026. Thank you to those who participated in the nomination process but missed out on being selected. We appreciate your passion for

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Internet Governance

5 Pieces of Advice for Teens Impacted by  the Social Media Ban 

1. Acknowledge and Validate Your Feelings 2. Prioritise and Maintain Your Key Connections 3. Preserve Your Memories and Content 4. Explore Alternative, Age-Appropriate Spaces 5. Remember: This is a Pause, Not a Permanent End If you’re feeling overwhelmed or need to talk to someone right now, please reach out to: Image credit: Vitaly Gariev

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What We Do

Policy

We actively monitor a number of policy areas and specific issues. The topics below provide a detailed view of EFA’s policy positions.

Copyright

Australia’s copyright laws are outdated, inflexible and not fit for the digital age. As such, EFA is a long-standing supporter of reform of Australia’s Copyright Act.

Privacy & Security

Privacy is fundamentally about consent and control over access to information, and goes hand-in-hand with security. Privacy is a human right.

Censorship

Adults should be able to make their own informed decisions about what content they create and consume.

Encryption

Access to encryption technologies is vital for individuals and groups to be able to safeguard the security and privacy of their information.

Internet safety

Surveillance is not safety. Safety for whom, against what? This complex problem is more likely to be exacerbated, rather than solved, by measures that allow for unaccountable surveillance and the undermining of communications security.

Surveillance

EFA is committed to ensuring that Australian’s home life is not subject to arbitrary interference.