DEFENDING DIGITAL RIGHTS IN AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA: THE STATE OF AFFAIRS
WHAT DIGITAL RIGHTS? • No bill of rights • No digital charter
OUR GOVERNMENT IN 2015: • Mandatory data reten on scheme • Website blocking legisla on for copyright infringement • Industry code for online copyright infringement • Trans-Pacific Partnership
THE FUTURE OF 2016? AUSTRALIA: THE STATE OF AFFAIRS
IT’S NOT ALL BAD Whistleblower protec on legisla on (and growing culture of whistleblowing)
Small but dedicated campaign against data reten on
Growing interest in wider non-profit, academic and ac vism sectors AUSTRALIA: THE PLAYERS
WE HAVE SOME STRONG VOICES The Australian Greens – Senator Sco Ludlam Electronic Fron ers Australia CHOICE Australian Privacy Founda on Ins tute of Public Affairs Thoughtworks Amnesty Interna onal Australia
BUT NOTHING BRINGING THEM TOGETHER DIGITAL RIGHTS WATCH
SO DIGITAL RIGHTS WATCH WAS FORMED
An non-profit umbrella organisa on that can support, foster, promote and highlight the work of Australians standing up for their digital rights. WHO ARE WE?
DIGITAL RIGHTS WATCH IS AN INCORPORATED MEMBER DRIVEN NON-PROFIT ORGANISATION
The 2016 board of Digital Rights Watch: Amy Gray Melbourne-based freelance journalist Chair - Tim Singleton Norton Head of Campaigns for Save the Children Australia Suzy Wood Fellow of QUT IP & Innova on Law research program Deputy Chair - Dr Nicolas Suzor Fellow at Crea ve Commons Australia Senior Lecturer in Law at Queensland University of Technology Nick Jaffe Chief Inves gator of QUT’s Digital Media Research Co-founder of Serversaurus and Electron Workshop Centre Founder of the Privacy Workshop
Chris Berg Lizzie O'Shea Senior Fellow at the Ins tute of Public Affairs Human rights lawyer specialising in public interest li ga on WHO’S WITH US?
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights Prof. Rob Sparrow, Department of Interna onal Law and the Humani es Australian Progress Philosophy, Monash University Prof. Ariadne Vromen, Dept of CHOICE Ben Eltham, journalist Government and Interna onal Rela ons , Australian Privacy Founda on Dr TJ McIntyre, Chair of Digital Rights University of Sydney Ireland Dr. Aim Simpeng, Dept of Government and Blueprint for Free Speech Antony Loewenstein, independent Interna onal Rela ons , University of Liberty Victoria journalist, Guardian columnist and author Sydney Thoughtworks George Newhouse, Director, Na onal Dr. Benede a Brevini, Dept of Government Na onal Jus ce Project Jus ce Project and Interna onal Rela ons , University of NSW Council for Civil Liber es Bernard Keane, journalist Sydney Future Wise Tracey Dunning, Industry & Policy, Asher Wolf, journalist Regulatory Program Co-ordinator, Trisha Jha, libertarian commentator Michael Malone, founder and former Macquarie Telecom Carly Nyst, Human rights lawyer Managing Director of iiNet John Lindsay, former CTO of iiNet & Prof. Julian Thomas, Swinburne University Jennifer Robinson, Director of Legal Internode Dr Angela Daly, Research fellow, Advocacy, Bertha Founda on Senator Sco Ludlam, Australian Greens Swinburne Ins tute for Social Research Mary Kostakidis, Broadcaster and journalistDeputy Leader Dr Tama Leaver, Senior Lecturer of Internet Julian Burnside AO QC, Barrister & human Helen Razer, journalist and commentator Studies, Cur n University rights advocate Dr Paul Bernal, Lecturer, Informa on Dr Rebecca Giblin, Senior Lecturer, Monash Ass. Prof. Ellie Rennie, Deputy Director, Technology, Intellectual Property and Faculty of Law Swinburne Ins tute for Social Research Media Law, UEA School of Law Dr Monika Zalnieriute, Melbourne Law Andrew Bartle , former Senator and Prof. Dianne O o, Francine V McNiff Chair School Research fellow, Australian Na onal in Human Rights Law at Melbourne Bre Solomon, Access Now University University, Director of the Ins tute for WHAT WE STAND FOR
We believe that a free and open internet is the cornerstone of a modern approach to human rights.
OUR PILLARS:
PRIVACY DEMOCRACY
FAIRNESS FREEDOM CAMPAIGNING FOR PRIVACY
OUR AIM • An end to Australia’s mass surveillance opera ons. • Be er oversight of mandatory data reten on • A halt to the na onal facial biometric data capability
OUR WORK: • Public mobilisa on campaigns • Crea ng educa on resources around encryp on and privacy-enhancing so ware STANDING UP FOR DEMOCRACY
OUR AIM • Stronger democra c oversight of domes c and interna onal surveillance agencies • Increased transparency in interna onal trade agreements
OUR WORK: • Coordinated lobbying of Australian law-makers • Facilita ng ci zen oversight of ac vi es through Freedom of Informa on requests ENSURING FAIR ACCESS
OUR AIM • Proper copyright reform on key issues such as fair use, free speech and innova on • Effec ve and fair monitoring of website blocking legisla on
OUR WORK: • Opera ng a watchdog of the Copyright No ce Code • Par cipa ng in legisla ve debate around copyright reform WE STAND FOR THE USERS
OUR AIM • Clear, certain, and fair legal rules that govern the liability of internet intermediaries consistent with the Manila Principles on Intermediary Liability • Social networking pla orms protect freedom of speech by providing adequate and effec ve tools to limit and address abuse
OUR WORK: • Opera ng a watchdog of social network policies THE PLAN
THE ROLE OF DIGITAL RIGHTS WATCH IS TO: • Be a strong and visible advocate known for intelligent, robust defence of digital rights • Advocate and educate Parliament and other law-making bodies • Run effec ve large-scale public campaigns • Monitor and report on digital rights regula ons • Develop public-facing informa on resources • Act as a linkage between exis ng digital rights movements overseas and the growing Australian digital ac vist network THE WATCHLIST
WE WILL MONITOR AND REPORT UPON: • Implementa on of metadata reten on laws, including agencies approved to access telecommunica ons data under metadata reten on laws • Websites blocked under new injunc ve power • TPP enabling bill progress through Parliament • Any movements on fair use • Any movements on tort of serious invasion of privacy • Any legisla ve or policy ini a ves to combat 'revenge porn’ • Any movements on educa on no ce scheme for copyright infringement Whistleblower protec ons • Reforms to ss 34ZS and 35P ASIO Act • Broader intermediary liability issues • Net neutrality • Right to be forgo en UPCOMING PROJECTS
BLOCKED.AU An online database to keep track of injunc ons and compile a database similar to blocked.org.uk
INTERNET DEFENCE LEAGUE Educa onal resources and informa on for individuals to u lise privacy-enhancing tools and encryp on technologies
GET A WARRANT! CAMPAIGN Public-facing mobilisa on campaign to repeal the current laws surrounding data reten on and access by government agencies GET IN TOUCH
THANK YOU
LIZZIE O’SHEA DIGITAL RIGHTS WATCH @LIZZIE_OSHEA @DRWAUS DIGITALRIGHTSWATCH.ORG.AU