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.
-
Big data: more isn’t always better
Big data is big news these days. But most organisations just end up hoarding vast reams of data, leaving them with a massive repository of unstructured – or “dark” – data that is of little use to anyone. Given the potential benefits of big data, it’s crucial that we find better ways to gather, store and analyse data in order to make the most of it. Stories of big data…
-
Five New Year’s Resolutions to protect your Digital Rights
New Year’s resolutions are notoriously difficult to maintain. Whether you’re planning to eat better, quit smoking, exercise more or call your mother more frequently, it’s easy enough at the start, but very few people maintain their resolutions past the 1st of February. So we’ve put together this list of easy resolutions for you. Most require a little bit of work at the start but you’ll still have all your New…
-
Downside of fitness trackers and health apps is loss of privacy
At the touch of an app, Emma tracks her diabetes. She enters food, exercise, weight and blood sugar levels, then sets up medication reminders. Suzanne uses the latest wearable device to track her running route and distances walked. As she has not slept too well in the past month, she also records her sleep patterns. Richard takes his tablet for schizophrenia. The tablet contains a sensor that communicates with central…
-
Government considering expansion of data retention to civil cases [Updated]
Yesterday the Attorney-General’s Department announced that they are seeking input in relation to expanding the scope of the mandatory data retention scheme to include civil cases. This could mean that retained data is made available for a range of civil matters including: copyright infringement cases family law cases employment-related cases We’ll be vigorously resisting any such expansion in this scheme and instead will be pushing for a comprehensive review of…
-
Blocking access to illegal file-share websites won’t stop illegal downloading
The Australian Federal Court ruled last week that TPG, Optus, Telstra and other internet service providers (ISPs) must take “reasonable steps” to stop customers accessing file-sharing websites The Pirate Bay, IsoHunt, TorrentHound and Torrentz. In total, Australian ISPs must block access to 61 domains registered to these four websites, or to the IP addresses specifically listed in the orders. The court also ordered that addresses belonging to SolarMovie be blocked, even…
-
EFA’s 2017 Wish List
As the new year approaches, it’s again time to set out our Wish List and priorities for the year ahead. This list repeats many of the same topics as last year as there has been little movement on many of these issues, partly due to the election interrupting the legislative programme, but also, we’d suggest, because this government is not giving digital rights issues the attention they deserve. Copyright reform…
Help fight for our digital rights
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.