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This week we feature an interview with Peter Warren Singer, a US strategist and scholar on warfare and digital threats. Our conversation starts with lessons from the conflict in Ukraine on how threats and adversarial tactics are evolving. We also explore the continued use of social media as a weapon, and the nature of evolving threats to critical infrastructure and the motivations of state actors...

This week we revisit the hard problem of age verification, which we last discussed in episode #64. In order to protect kids from explicit content and other harmful effects of online platforms, we first need to be able to identify them. But can we do that without major risks to privacy and free speech? The eSafety Commissioner's Roadmap to Age Verification has the answer. Kind of. We'll dig...

This week we explore the privacy risks in otherwise publicly visible information, after a dozen privacy regulators from around the world issued a joint statement on the issue of data scraping. The regulators' statement emphasises that even personal information that is publicly accessible is subject to data protection and privacy laws, and calls out social media platforms to do more to prevent...

This week we explore the tension between the competing values of privacy and public interest journalism. Today, journalists enjoy a broad exemption from privacy laws. However, reform proposals have ignited debate about whether that free pass is still appropriate. We discuss the scope and merits of these reform proposals and explore the arguments by journalists on why the exemption is necessary.  ...

This week we review responses to the Australian Government's open consultation on how to mitigate the potential risks of AI. In June, the Government called for submissions to its discussion paper titled "Safe and responsible AI in Australia". While the submissions haven't been published, several have made their way into the public domain.  As well as sharing the recommendations o...

This week we discuss targeted advertising, its role in the development of the commercial internet, and how it affects users today. We explore the varying attitudes to the practice of targeted advertising, its benefits and harms, and regulatory measures being considered to curb its excesses. Links: $20m ACCC penalty for Meta https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/20m-penalty-for-meta-companies-for-c...

This week, we're excited to feature a conversation with Angelene Falk, Australia's Information Commissioner and Privacy Commissioner. The topic of our conversation is the 2023 Australian Community Attitudes to Privacy Survey, which the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has just published. We discuss the value of surveying the community on privacy and explore the report’s key findin...

This week, we go deep on misinformation. We start by breaking down some new academic research into the effect of Facebook and its algorithms on polarisation, and challenge some of the reporting on the key takeaways from the research. We also explore Australia's proposed misinformation bill and discuss its merits and the commentary surrounding the bill. Links: Nature blog on research (Nature) h...

This week we discuss the burgeoning trade in our location data. Our mobile devices and the apps on them regularly collect and and transmit the details of our physical location. Sometimes this is to support a useful and convenient purpose, like finding a nearby cafe or a family member. But at other times, it's in order to share and sell that data with third-parties such as data brokers. We expl...

This week we discuss the new social networking app from Meta - Threads. Will it successfully meet the expectation for, and Meta's promo claims of, a new public conversation app to rival Twitter from years gone by? We also discuss the reasons behind the app not launching in the EU, and the regulatory lessons of this outcomes.   Links: Introducing Threads: A New Way to Share With Text (Meta) htt...

This week we explore the growing use of facial recognition by stadiums, after a recent CHOICE report revealed the technology was in use at several major sporting and concert venues around Australia. We evaluate the merits of varying uses of the technology, from the security use cases to enabling of more convenient check-in and purchasing services for stadium patrons. Links: CHOICE report https://w...

This is the fourth and final episode in our short series about AI. In this episode, we assess the public dialogue about AI and how it has evolved in recent times. We discuss the heady excitement about the technology's possibilities and emerging concerns about its risks, and what the right risks to focus on are. We also explore how the emerging AI conversation compares to discussions about prev...

This is the third episode in a short series about AI. In this episode we explore international moves to regulate AI, with approaches ranging from voluntary guidance and self regulation to dedicated legislation for AI. We explore the varying philosophical approaches (notably between the US and Europe), and discuss Australia's approach to the challenge, which is currently focused on a discussion...

This is the second episode in a short series about AI. With the potential harms of AI receiving greater exposure over recent months, we take a look at how businesses are responding. We explore the role and effectiveness of "ethical principles", introduced by many organisations to guide AI usage, and how existing corporate governance practices can be extended to the challenges of AI.   Li...

This is the first episode in a short series about AI. After months of frenzied activity and dialogue, the AI conversation seems to be consolidating around some common questions, including: What is AI exactly? What are the harms it can cause? How should businesses govern their use of AI? What should policymakers and governments do? What's the public perspective and how is that being shaped? And...

We break down the recent record fine against Meta by the Irish data protection regulator, which focuses on Meta's practice of transferring data about its EU customers to the US, where it is exposed to US spy agencies. The fine, and the legal proceedings that led to it, originate with a complaint by an Austrian man called Max Schrems. For over a decade, Schrems and his not-for-profit NOYB have...

This week we dissect proposals to introduce online age verification to protect kids from explicit content and other harmful effects of online platforms. There's significant momentum behind the idea, with various technologies being offered as an answer and the Australian government evaluating a roadmap from the eSafety Commissioner and also considering using digital identity as a solution. But...

It's referred to as the gold standard or high watermark of privacy regulation around the world. This week is five years since the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into effect. We are joined by elevenM privacy practice lead Melanie Marks to reflect on the history and importance of the regulation and to discuss its impact and shortcomings. Links: What Is GDPR and Why Shoul...

This week we look at the Federal Government's budget commitments to privacy, cyber security and online safety. Notably, the Government has signifantly increased funding for privacy regulation for the next four years, while its funding commitments for cyber security reflect an important shift towards building broad-based economy-wide resilience.  We break down the various commitments and their...

Momentum continues to build for the need to rein in AI. Despite it being a global challenge, the approaches to regulating AI vary from country to country in some fairly fundamental (and even philosophical) ways. In this week's episode, we explore these different approaches. Links: Australian experts call for AI regulator (InnovationAus) https://www.innovationaus.com/australian-experts-want-a-a...

It's Privacy Awareness Week, so we're peeling back the layers on one of the most common concepts used to raise awareness about privacy: the creepy test. It's that sense of "ew!" we sometimes feel when we encounter technologies or business practices that step over the bounds of responsible use of our personal information. This week, we break down the concept of the creepy test...

This week, we discuss the push to abolish anonymity on social media, as a means to preventing online abuse.   Policymakers have been grappling with the challenges of trolling and online abuse for a few years, but it has come into the spotlight after the complaints of several prominent Australian footballers and athletes.   While enforcing real identity seems an obvious solution, Arj and Jordan deb...

This week, we discuss the emerging response to now well-documented concerns about generative AI from regulators and lawyers. With data protection authorities seemingly leading the charge, we discuss whether privacy is actually the right lever to be pulling when it comes to taking action against these technologies, in light of broader concerns about discrimination, defamation and copyright infringe...

This week, we discuss the merits of recent ideas to pause the development or rollout of harmful technologies and data practices. Recent widespread consternation about AI (particularly ChatGPT and GPT-4 from OpenAI) has led to an open letter from various AI and tech personalities calling for a 6-month pause in future development. But Jordan and Arj discuss that the letter may not be all that it see...

This week, we finally weigh in on a debate that arises frequently - is privacy dead?   Arj and Jordan explore the apparent contradiction between people's stated desire for privacy and their behaviours that accept companies or technologies that repeatedly fall short of acceptable privacy practices. They look at several studies and experiments that help explain why it's not reasonable to lea...