News from EFA

Blog posts and other updates from EFA.

Internet filtering

16th May: ASIC blocks scam website and takes 1,200 innocent sites down with it
ASIC has admitted to blocking websites, with big collateral damage

17th May: Like the filter, only worse
Internet blocking scope creep

28th May: Conroy calls for transparency on s313 blocking
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy responds to ASIC’s website blocking actions

31st May: s313 Website blocking: the plot thickens
It is revealed that three goverment agencies are blocking websites

5th June: ASIC admits to blocking another 250,000 websites
ASIC’s blocked website body count grows

Privacy & Surveillance

8th June: PRISM: the NSA is watching…the whole world
Revelations about the NSA’s top secret global internet surveillance program

8th June: Why Metadata Matters
Collection of communications metadata by governments can reveal very private information – from our Citizens, Not Suspects campaign site

6th June: Victoria considers updating laws for sexting
A Victorian Parliamentary committee recommends sensible changes to deal with sexting cases

4th June: Unlisted numbers: charges to continue
A disappointing recommendation from a Senate committee

29th May: EFA welcomes Privacy Breach legislation
The Attorney-General introduces new legislation to Federal Parliament to require organisations to notify affected users when their information is breached.

21st May: Passwords Reuse: Why you need a password manager
EFA Board Member Steve Roddis explains why password managers are important

Copyright

6th June: Copyright bullies: Sydney law firm targeting downloaders
A Sydney law firm is seeking access to details of ISP users alleged to be breaching copyright

Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)

4th June: Sky news interviews Angela Daly on the TPP
EFA Board Member Angela Daly discusses the TPP with Stan Grant.

27th May: TPP: The Biggest Threat to the Internet you’ve probably never heard of.
An excellent video from our friends at EFF explaining the dangers of the TPP.

27th May: The Trans-Pacific Partnership: a knockout blow for innovation?
EFA Board Member Angela Daly examines the risks to innovation from the TPP.

27th May: New Coalition to TPP negotiators: This is what a Fair Deal looks like
EFA is a founding member of a new international coalition fighting against the inclusion of extreme copyright enforcement mechanisms and other nasties in the TPP.

Open Government

3rd June: Australia joins Open Government partnership
EFA welcomes Australia’s decision to (finally) join the Open Government partnership.

News from elsewhere

Articles and updates from other sites we think will interest you.

5th June: ALRC recommends introduction of Fair Use into Australian copyright law
The Australian Law Reform Commission recommends Australia adopt Fair Use – if enacted, this would be a huge win for Australian consumers, creators and educators.

9th June (US time): Edward Snowden: the whistleblower behind the NSA surveillance revelations
The 29-year-old source behind the biggest intelligence leak in the NSA’s history explains his motives, his uncertain future and why he never intended on hiding in the shadows

9th June (US time): U.S., company officials: Internet surveillance does not indiscriminately mine data
The Washington Post explains that the NSA’s PRISM program accesses data from online service providers through queries sent to “equipment installed at company-controlled locations, rather than directly to company servers.”

10th June: The Age: Awkward questions face Australia after US spy row
Unease over a clandestine US data collection program has rippled across the Pacific to two of Washington’s major allies, Australia and New Zealand, raising concerns about whether they have cooperated with secret electronic data mining.

EFA in the News

News articles that quote or reference EFA.

17th May: ASIC ‘stuff up’ marks return of internet filter – experts
ASIC forced ISP to block fraudulent scam sites. Ends up accidentally blocking 1200 “innocent” sites. Experts say “dead” internet filter has been resurrected

7th June: The Age: Australians at risk in US electronic surveillance program
Australians are likely to have been caught up in an American electronic surveillance program that allows analysts to track people’s movements and contacts, an academic and lobby group have warned.

7th June: ACCAN flays ASIC for internet block
The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) has strongly rebuked the Australian Securities and Investment Commission for abusing the Section 313 of the Telecommunications Act to block websites.

10th June: ABC News 24: Governments need ‘legitimate reason to invade privacy’
EFA Executive Officer Jon Lawrence speaks to Joe O’Brien about the PRISM program.

10th June: The Project: PRISM
The Project looks at PRISM – includes grabs from EFA Executive Officer Jon Lawrence (starts at 6:52)

10th June: SBS TV News: Whistleblower reveals his identity
Includes grabs from EFA Executive Officer Jon Lawrence