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.

  • 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 for civil liberties groups. The original scope of the eSafety Office was a focus on…

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  • Despite a victory on IP, the TPP’s resurgence hasn’t cured its ills

    Ever since the United States withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) back in January, the remaining eleven countries have been quietly attempting to bring a version of the agreement into force. Following some initial confusion,it was announced on Friday that they have reached an “agreement in principle” on “core elements” of a deal. Even so Canada’s trade minister, Canada’s trade minister, Francois-Philippe Champagne confirmed that the agreement is far from…

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  • You may be sick of worrying about online privacy, but ‘surveillance apathy’ is also a problem

    We all seem worried about privacy. Though it’s not only privacy itself we should be concerned about: it’s also our attitudes towards privacy that are important. When we stop caring about our digital privacy, we witness surveillance apathy. And it’s something that may be particularly significant for marginalised communities, who feel they hold no power to navigate or negotiate fair use of digital technologies. This article is by Siobhan Lyons,…

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  • It’s just not cricket: setting the tone on cyber abuse

    In an exciting move forward, digital rights organisation Electronic Frontiers Australia has elected it’s first ever female leadership. Lyndsey Jackson and long time EFA member Katherine Phelps take their positions as chair and vice-chair respectively as the organisation moves forward to address the challenges that affect Australians online. Having recently joined the EFA Policy Team, my first effort has been to suggest the organisation take a more proactive position one…

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  • Australian Government must reinstate phone and internet access to asylum seekers

    Digital Rights Watch Australia and Electronic Frontiers Australia today urge the Australian Government to ensure that the human rights of asylum seekers and refugees being held in offshore detention camps on Manus Island (Papua New Guinea) and Nauru are respected. The Australian Government’s offshore processing system which has established these camps has resulted in violations of various rights protected under international human rights treaties to which Australia is a party,…

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  • EFA elects first female leadership team

    Electronic Frontiers Australia, the country’s leading digital rights organisation, is proud to announce that its Board has elected its first female leadership team. Lyndsey Jackson was elected unopposed as the new Chair of EFA at a Board meeting held on Sunday 15th October. Katherine Phelps was elected as the new vice-Chair. Lachlan Simpson was also elected as Secretary and Shaun Haddrill continues in the Treasurer’s position to which he was…

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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.