iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Our Chair Lizzie O’Shea joins Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young and TAI's Josh Bornstein this afternoon to talk about what an effective Digital Duty of Care looks like. RSVP here: nb.australiainstitute.org.au/will_a…

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

There is no need for Basketball Australia to roll out this kind of invasive system, which lacks any consent mechanism or privacy controls. No one should have to choose between their safety and participating in sport.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

New article up now on how our data is being used to hijack democracy, from the Cambridge Analytica scandal to Palantir getting it's hooks into Australia. Check it out on the website now ➡️ digitalrightswatch.org.au/articles/

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Richard Marles needs to do more than set up a taskforce, he needs to treat this like the crime it is. If an individual hacked into Medicare they'd be going to jail, but there is no accountability for Big Tech.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Australians shouldn’t tolerate our governments’ and regulators' ongoing failure to protect us from exploitation by Big Tech. We need to be able to depend on our regulators to keep us safe, but at the moment we can’t.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Today Minderoo and BIT released their new report on gender-based abuse on dating apps. In a shocking result, almost every woman surveyed had experienced abuse in the last three months. We need to make sure the new Digital Duty of Care forces these companies to proactively address these harms.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

At Digital Rights Watch we’re concerned about the negative impact on Australian democracy due to the concentration of power in large technology companies. This International Democracy Day we are proud to be part of the Democracy Counts campaign to Renew Democracy.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Another day, another product to normalise mass covert surveillance. While the hype of the Apple launch was the new foldable phone, they also released new watches capable of always-on passive AI-audio features. Along with smart glasses, these products continue to normalise passive surveillance.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Basketball Australia is preparing to put thousands of children in front of AI-powered cameras to automatically record junior games. This is a gross invasion of privacy, with no clear way for parents to consent. We call on Basketball Australia to stop this rollout.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Privacy law is how we take back power from big tech. The reforms proposed by the government are a good start, but don't go far enough, and the new rules will mean nothing if they are not properly enforced.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

We are pleased with the government asking the privacy commissioner to investigate smart glasses after the attention Kmart's budget glasses garnered last week. These glasses being so affordable and wide-spread has thrown the spotlight on the privacy disaster that are AI-enabled smart glasses.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

It's census time again, a great chance for the government to get high quality data to help them make better decisions. If you're worried about providing personal or identifiable information, the best way to control the data you provide is to request a paper form from the ABS website.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

You may have seen the news about KMart's smart glasses selling out. Smart glasses are being marketed as a lifestyle accessory but they're actually covert recording devices that anyone can buy off the shelf; we should be treating them that way.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

We've just published our new discussion paper on AI scribes in medical settings in Australia, outlining potential harms, and opportunities for regulation. We found these tools are unregulated, untested, and often used without consent. View the full report here: digitalrightswatch.o...

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

ICYMI: Tonight we'll be hosting a free online panel discussion with our chair Lizzie O’Shea, GetUp lead campaigner Hayden Rodgers and NSW Greens Senator David Shoebridge on Palantir in Australia. Join here: events.humanitix.com/burning-palant…

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

The data breach of Canvas is huge. Hackers stole roughly 6.65 terabytes of data. We hope that the upcoming Children's Online Privacy Code addresses some of these issues by introducing an obligation on companies to minimise data collection and to allow individuals the right to delete their data.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

Amid a housing crisis and power imbalance, renters feel compelled to hand over extensive personal information. The Privacy Commissioner’s decision shows that this situation must change.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

Last week the government released their response to the review of the Online Safety Act. We are pleased they will introduce a new Digital Duty of Care, and look forward to working with them to implement the best outcome for human rights-respecting solution.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

Digital Rights Watch welcomes the first draft of the Children's Online Privacy Code, which centers on improving the online spaces that young people use, instead of restricting their access. This approach is a huge step forward and we’d like to see it work for adults as well as children

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

The Albanese government has sleepwalked into another Robodebt scenario, where unfounded optimism in AI and automated decision-making has once again left Australians at the mercy of an uncaring robot bureaucrat.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

Our Chair Lizzie O'Shea at the The World Forum on the Future of Democracy, AI / Tech and Humankind in Berlin talking about holding social media companies to account. We are proud to be part of the global push to protect people from harmful algorithms and unregulated AI.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

Australians want privacy law reform. They also need it. Every day we are subject to forms of surveillance, having our data harvested with no right for us to request it be deleted. Full piece: www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2…

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

The health of Australians cannot be put at risk to profit Big Tech. The Minister for Health, Mark Butler, needs to treat the launch of ChatGPT Health as a catalyst for better AI regulation. www.theguardian.com/technology/2026…

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

Grok is being weaponised to digitally remove clothing from women and children's photos and by restricted AI image-generation to paying users, they are effectively monetising the creation of child sexual abuse material and non-consensual deepfakes rather than stopping it.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

The first reports of the harms of the social media ban is having on vulnerable kids are out. This is what happens when policy is designed without listening to experts, not tackling the problem of harmful algorithms and business practices and just banning people from accessing parts of the internet.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

In news that may not shock anyone, the Trump regime has decided to not only continue privacy invasive border entry biometric data harvesting, but also now forcing the handing over of 5 years worth of social media history to make sure anyone entering the US won't say anything mean about him.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 01/12/2025

Today the Federal Government has released their National AI Plan, the substance of which reflects a lack of desire to regulate Big Tech’s AI systems before they harm people. They had a great opportunity to regulate Big Tech, but their AI Plan has sold us, and our data, out to the AI companies.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 01/12/2025

Scammers are going to be targeting children thanks to the social media age ban, imitating age verification tools to steal data, and dodgy 'free VPNs' being promoted to kids. Full article: www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-01/cybe…

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

We encourage everyone to fill it out and let them know what is important to you with this proposed amendment to the Online Safety Act 2021 here: www.infrastructure.g... 3/3

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

Too much flexibility, lack of clarity with whom the duty of care rests (is the platform owner at fault, or the software vendor?), and the potential for censorship and surveillance under the banner of “care.” 2/3

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

The Government has just launched a survey to garner community insights for their Digital Duty of Care. While a legislated digital duty of care is a strong argument, it carries practical risks. 1/3

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

Data breaches are going to be more common as more sensitive data is stored by companies. Rebecca, and any Australian, should have the right to delete their own data, especially the kind of sensitive data held by IVF companies. digitalrightswatch.org.au/campaigns…

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

Last week we launched our campaign for Australia to have a Right to Delete law. Here's a handy explainer on the background behind the campaign. digitalrightswatch.org.au/2025/10/1…

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 03/11/2025

Not only is it concerning that unregulated AI use is being reported in the legal system, but also the privacy implications of feeding sensitive documents into a black box AI algorithm. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-03/lega…

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

We welcome the Albanese government ruling-out a text-and-data-mining exemption for Big Tech. By itself, this decision is insufficient. The Government needs to recognise that all Australians are creative individuals who deserve protection, not just those who make a living from artistic work.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 23/10/2025

Australians want better protections for their privacy. A 'Right to Delete' would mean we could have control over our data, protecting ourselves from the kinds of data breaches we are seeing more and more in the news. Join our campaign for a Right to Delete now: digitalrightswatch.o...

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 14/10/2025

We're excited to share a piece written by our very own Chair Lizzie O'Shea. 'AI has been pitched as the great solution of the modern age - but the unfettered growth of this new technology could come at the expense of everything we hold dear.' Check it out here:

cheekmedia.substack.com

On its current trajectory, AI is inconsistent with democracy, sustainability, and autonomy

By Lizzie O'Shea

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 10/10/2025

We were pleased to be invited to give evidence for the inquiry into the National Cultural Policy last week. It's crucial that human rights of individual artists to own their creative works are protected, not exploited. Video here: youtu.be/sTZCuXuOoIU...

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 07/10/2025

We must be aware of the risks of a lack of human oversight over the work of generative AI. All the more reason for proper AI regulation. www.theguardian.com/australia-news/…

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

It's almost like banning kids from the internet isn't the answer to predatory social media algorithms pushing radical views and mis / disinformation

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

Better regulation of Internet Search Engines and Social Media companies is definitely required but the current safety codes under consideration are not adequate. A simple ban of young people from social media will harm them. Read our full submission here: digitalrightswatch.o...

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

In it, we call on the committee to reject in their entirety the online safety codes for both Internet Search Engines and Social Media Minimum Age, and delay implementation of the codes until meaningful consultation with expert organisations in the field can inform a better policy direction.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

Last week we entered a submission into the "Inquiry into the Internet Search Engine Services Online Safety Code and the under 16 social media ban"

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

Register here 👇 Adelaide: shorturl.at/ojQRX Perth: events.humanitix.com... Brisbane: events.humanitix.com... Sydney: events.humanitix.com... Melbourne events.humanitix.com...

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

Burning Platforms is Australia’s top tech and politics podcast delving into Big Tech and the consequences of its power.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

• Learn about the Luddites and how the future can be contested • Try to tell the difference between an AI and a human • Ask the tough questions: who knows? who decides? and who decides who decides? • Featuring special guests from politics and entertainment

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

Our fun and interactive panel event will canvas the big questions and try to come up with a few answers before this juggernaut goes out of control. Come along to meet and mingle with people who care.

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

Our jobs. Our culture. Our democracy. All up for grabs by emerging ‘AI’ technology. Our fun and interactive panel event will canvass the big questions and try to come up with a few answers. Come along to meet and mingle with people who care. Adelaide, you're first up! unisa.edu.au/connect...

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

Our jobs. Our culture. Our democracy. All up for grabs by emerging 'AI' technology. Our fun and interactive panel event will canvass the big questions and try to come up with a few answers. First stop is Adelaide. Grab your free ticket here: unisa.edu.au/connect...

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Digital Rights Watch @drwaus.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

Rather than ineffective and anti-privacy measures which will still leave vulnerable people exposed to harm, we need to adopt methods of ensuring child safety online that start with dismantling predatory social media algorithms.

theguardian.com

From zero to neo-Nazis: what under-16s may see under Australia’s social media ban, simply by not logging in

Guardian Australia test finds scrolling shortform videos while logged out of YouTube and TikTok quickly leads to gambling, violent and far-right content

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