FBI says device encryption is ‘evil’ and a threat to public safety
The FBI continues its anti-encryption push. It’s now expanded past Director Christopher Wray to include statements by other FBI personnel. Not that Chris Wray isn’t taking every opportunity he can to portray personal security as a threat to the security of the American public. He still is. But he’s no longer the only FBI employee […]
Australian tech start-ups stand to lose out in proposed copyright reforms
The Australian government quietly introduced the Copyright Amendment (Service Providers) Bill 2017 to the Senate on Wednesday. If enacted, the bill will extend the scope of Australia’s copyright safe harbours – very slightly. Safe harbours protect internet hosts and platform providers from monetary liability for copyright-infringing content posted or shared by their users. For example, […]
What consumers need from the ACCC inquiry into Google and Facebook
Yesterday the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) launched an inquiry into digital platforms including Google and Facebook. Chairman of the ACCC Rod Sims said: The ACCC will look closely at longer-term trends and the effect of technological change on competition in media and advertising. We will also consider the impact of information asymmetry between […]
Protecting Sources and Whistleblowers in the Digital Age
I recently had the pleasure of participating in the Walkley Foundation panel discussion on “Protecting Sources and Whistleblowers in the Digital Age”. My co-panelists were Paul Farrell (Buzzfeed, ex-Guardian), Elise Worthington (ABC), with Julie Posetti (ex-Fairfax/ABC) as compere. As well as providing a forum for the panel discussion, the event served as the official release […]
Will Facebook’s new image abuse tool really work?
A couple of weeks back (with the help of Electronic Frontiers Australia & conference organisers), I attended the inaugural Safety on the Edge Conference hosted by the Office of the eSafety Commissioner. The eSafety Office falls under the Communications and Arts portfolio as it deals with regulation of internet content – an historically contentious topic […]
