Jul 2
Shaky Ground Gets Shakier: What the U.S. Supreme Court's Location Data Decision Means for Bill C-22
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Shaky Ground Gets Shakier: What the U.S. Supreme Court's Location Data Decision Means for Bill C-22
Government Moves to Shut Down Lawful Access Hearing In Order To Fast Track Passing the Bill This Week
How the Lawful Access Expands Canadian Surveillance Risks: Bill C-22 and the New Mandatory Metadata Retention Requirements
Today, 13 October 2015, is the day that Australia’s internet access lost its freedom. Mandatory retention of metadata is now in full effect. While even the US government is moving to close down some of its domestic spying programs, the Australian government, with the support of the ALP, is increasing its domestic surveillance.
All of the metadata from your phone and internet access will be stored for at least two years. What websites you visit, when you visited, who you email, who you make phone calls to and more – all will be recorded and stored.
While the content of websites and text messages won’t ordinarily be recorded, the state has retained the right to record these for targeted individuals. Full warrantless access to this information will be granted to at least 22 government agencies, including the police, ASIO and potentially even the Australian Tax Office.
The justification for metadata retention is to stop terrorism. That is rubbish. Similar anti-terror programs internationally have been thinly veiled domestic spying programs.
A 2013 report by a US National Security Agency review board even claimed: “[T]he current storage by the government of bulk metadata creates potential risks to public trust, personal privacy and civil liberty”.
Referring to metadata retention, whistleblower Edward Snowden told a London conference in March: “They’re not going to stop the next attacks either … because they’re not public safety programs. They’re spying programs”.
READ MORE: Metadata retention (and how to avoid it)
There is content that is only only accessible in Australia through downloading it from the Internet, which just so happens to be illegal.
If the government thinks they’re going to get me into trouble for attempting to access this content, that I am fully entitled to, they can think again.
If they don’t want us to illegally download content then make that content available legally. I mean we just got Netflix, use that! Release content here at the same time it’s released in the U.S. and the UK and everywhere else!
But if you’re not going to do that then don’t make accessing this content an offence.
TheseagullsGeorgeBrandisiswatching
The Federal Government's metadata retention policy has been criticized and in facing this a statutory definition of metadata is to be included in the legislation.