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.

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...

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: https://events.humanitix.com/burning-palantir/tickets

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/11/privacy-laws-australia-guinea-pigs-ai-experiment

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. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jan/15/chatgpt-health-ai-chatbot-medical-advice

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.

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.

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.

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.

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: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-01/cyber-security-story-scam-warnings-scams/106036670

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

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. https://digitalrightswatch.org.au/campaigns/right-to-delete/

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. https://digitalrightswatch.org.au/2025/10/16/your-data-their-rules-australians-need-data-deletion-rights/

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. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-03/legal-services-board-of-victoria-warns-lawyers-about-ai-in-court/105916628

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.

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...

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:

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

By Lizzie O'Shea

cheekmedia.substack.com

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...

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. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/oct/06/deloitte-to-pay-money-back-to-albanese-government-after-using-ai-in-440000-report

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

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"

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.

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...

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...