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.

  • Draft changes to Telecommunications Privacy Laws

    EFA’s submission to the Attorney-General’s Department expresses serious concerns about the Exposure Draft of Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment Bill 2007. The draft contains new powers enabling law enforcement agencies to access telecommunications data without a warrant, which were not recommended in the Blunn Review Report, and other provisions that are contrary to some recommendations in the Blunn Report. EFA would be unable to support passage of the proposed legislation…

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  • Access Card Bill seriously deficient

    The exposure draft of an Access Card Bill has exacerbated EFA’s opposition to the system. The broad powers to be granted to the Minister and DHS officers facilitates function creep, negates implied promises about limits on storage of information in the national ID database, and possibly even enables the collection of fingerprints, etc. Proposed offences are seriously deficient: some are unlikely to be enforced due to the nature of criminal…

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  • ALRC Privacy Review

    EFA sent a submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission in response to ALRC Issues Paper 31 Review of Privacy. EFA considers the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) is in need of major overhaul. It is inadquate to protect the privacy of Australians in the 21st century. See EFA’s submission to the ALRC.

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  • Media Release – Hyperlinking appeal causes concern

    Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) today expressed its concern at the decision of the Full Federal Court in the Cooper v Universal Music Pty Ltd appeal. The initial decision in this case held that a Brisbane webmaster, his Internet Service Provider (ISP), a director of the ISP, and a technical support employee of the ISP were liable for ‘authorising’ the infringing activities of users of a website which acted as an…

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  • Review of .au Internet domain

    EFA sent a submission to the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts in response to the Discussion Paper Review of the structure and operation of the .au Internet domain, 28 Nov 2006. See EFA’s submission to the DCITA Review.

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  • Senate Committee Report on Troubling Copyright Bill Welcomed

    A Senate Committee inquiring into the controversial Copyright Amendment Bill 2006 has issued a report recommending changes to the Bill. Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) today cautiously welcomed the report of the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee but expressed concern that the Committee did not recommend the criminal provisions be deferred until next year.

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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.