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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A change in the rules would open up the .au space
If you want to register an Australian web address, your options may be about to change due to a review of domain name policy that is currently underway. This article, by Derek Whitehead, was originally published on The Conversation. Derek is Adjunct professor at Swinburne University of Technology, and is Chair of the current 2015 auDA Names Panel. He is a member of auDA and a member of EFA. See the original…
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EFA cautiously welcomes action on fair use; calls for halt on ISP copyright code
Cost-benefit analysis of fair use exception EFA today cautiously welcomes last week’s announcement from the Attorney-General that he has requested an analysis of the costs and benefits involved in the introduction of a broad, flexible fair use exception into Australian copyright law. The introduction of a broad, flexible fair use exception was recommended by the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) in its Copyright in the Digital Economy report it provided…
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Will TPP set a Copyright Trap?
This article, by Trish Hepworth from the Australian Digital Alliance was originally published on their website. As Ministers gather to nut out the last details of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) concerned creators are waiting to see what impact the decision has on their ability to use, reuse and create. Worries about the extensive intellectual property chapter have mainly focussed on health. But the chapter also covers copyright, proposing ratcheting up the…
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Secret TPP Talks Continue at Luxury Hawaii Hotel
Trade ministers are meeting behind closed-doors at the Westin Resort and Spa in Maui this week to finalise the terms of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). This is the first formal round of talks since the US passed the controversial Fast Track trade legislation in June, which has given US negotiators a renewed sense of determination as they continue to push TPP’s corporate-driven mandate on intellectual property and digital regulations. The…
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European Data Retention Laws: an update
This table was produced by Leanne O’Donnell – a senior lawyer and leading legal expert in the communications sector. You can follow Leanne on Twitter: @mslods. See also the original article on her website. The Australian Government looked to the European experience as a model for its data retention scheme, and also claimed the European examples as justifications for our own legislation. As Attorney-General Brandis said in July 2014, data retention…
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EFA welcomes ALP decision to review data retention legislation
EFA welcomes the Labor Party’s decision to adopt an amendment to its platform that calls for a review of the data retention legislation passed in March this year. As a long-standing opponent of mandatory data retention, EFA remains committed to rolling-back the worst aspects of this legislation, including the unjustifiably long retention period of two years and the routine collection of mobile phone location data. EFA is also committed to…
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.