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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Media Release – EFA condemns Whirlpool lawsuit
Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) today condemned a lawsuit filed against the operator of whirlpool.net.au, one of Australia’s largest online discussion forums.Some messages posted in the Whirlpool forums have criticised the products and services offered by software company 2Clix Australia Pty Ltd (2Clix). The lawsuit alleges that the operator of Whirlpool has maliciously published those comments, with the intention of damaging 2Clix’s business. 2Clix claims that these comments have caused a…
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Government can’t be trusted with Access Card database
Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) today said that the latest in a long series of embarrassing data security breaches proves that the Commonwealth government can not be trusted to maintain the security of the proposed Health Services Access Card database. “The government has dozens of databases containing sensitive and personal information about millions of every-day Australians,” said EFA Chair Dale Clapperton. “Yet the government is unable to prevent its own employees…
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Access Card Submission
EFA’s submission to the Department of Human Services in relation to the Exposure Draft of the Human Services (Enhanced Service Delivery) Bill 2007 pointed out problems with the new proposed legislation, including privacy issues and over-reliance on questionable biometric technology for fraud prevention. See EFA Media Release
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Media Release – EFA appalled by filtering
Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) is appalled by Friday’s announcement that the federal Coalition government will force all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Australia to provide ‘filtered’ Internet connections upon request. This ‘initiative’ is nothing more than a tiresome repeat of previously announced and abandoned policies, and comes before the government has even conducted their recently-announced feasibility study of ISP-level filtering. The government has also failed to implement their National Filter…
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Coalition ISP Filter Proposal
During a speech to Christian groups, the then Prime Minister John Howard announced a plan to introduce ISP-based filtering on an opt-in basis. The Minister’s formal announcement however, is largely devoted to announcing for the umpteenth time the National Filter Plan that is intended to subsidise PC-based filters. EFA has expressed its strong opposition to any form of ISP-based filtering, primarily on the grounds that it is a blunt instrument…
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Major problems with proposed Telecommunications Interception Laws
EFA has been actively involved during the last four years in efforts by the Parliament to deal with the vexed issue of interception of stored communications (e.g. email), and we have fought to ensure that there is an appropriate balance between protecting the privacy of telecommunications users and meeting legitimate needs for access by security and law enforcement agencies. The 2007 Bill currently before Parliament includes major new powers for…
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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.