Stormy seas ahead as TfNSW loses critical Opal Card privacy case
A new case challenging the design of a public transport ticketing system on privacy grounds has broad implications for any organisation which collects personal information, especially in this age of...
View ArticleInvesting in Privacy: Does privacy need to be quantifiable to be valued?
On January 28, when many Australians were enjoying the last hurrah of summer holidays and getting the kids ready to go back to school, our northern hemisphere colleagues were celebrating International...
View ArticleHow do you solve a problem like Facebook?
How do you solve a problem like Facebook? How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?* By now we all know the story: Facebook allowed apps on its social media platform which enabled a shady outfit called...
View ArticlePPIPA turns 21: should we celebrate?
If 21 is the age at which a person is considered to have matured, what are we to make of a law when it turns 21? 2019 marks the 21st birthday of PPIPA (aka the Privacy and Personal Information...
View ArticleIt’s the data breach countdown: the top 10 risks to avoid
February marks 12 months since the start of the notifiable data breach scheme here in Australia, and nine months since the European notification scheme started under the GDPR. American notification...
View ArticleMy Privacy String: Tie up loose threads to avoid privacy risks
If a year ago I had attached a piece of string to the personal information I provided in order to enter an online competition, would I be surprised how many organisations had my string threading...
View ArticleThe ethics of artificial intelligence: start with the law
Imagine reading an ethical framework for organising birthday parties, which says that it will be important to meet legal requirements in terms of not making too much noise, that matching napkins and...
View ArticlePrivacy 101, for people who are new to privacy
Hey get ready people, it’s almost Privacy Awareness Week! OAIC’s theme for 2019 is ‘Don’t be in the dark about privacy’, while OPC NZ and OVIC’s theme is ‘Protecting privacy is everyone’s...
View ArticleTop 10 Privacy Risks to Lose Sleep Over
We’ve written before about the common causes of data breaches, but what about all the other types of privacy risks your organisation might face? This month we have helpfully compiled for you a list of...
View ArticleYou say potato: The meaning and causes of data breaches
You say data breach, I say cybersecurity incident You say privacy breach, I say an individual sending out emails Potato, potahto, tomato, tomahto Let’s call the whole thing off (With apologies to Ella...
View ArticleStand in their shoes: Privacy by Design is needed everywhere
A recent case illustrates the need to think about privacy in both system design and human decision-making. Plus, how keeping user experience (UX) front of mind when designing systems or processes...
View ArticleTraining is key to avoiding liability for rogue employees
A recent case illustrates the importance of robust, mandatory privacy training for staff, to avoid privacy breaches – or, if a breach does happen, in order to avoid liability for when a rogue employee...
View ArticlePIAs: Eight lessons to learn from the myki data debacle
As you might expect, the recent investigation by the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner (OVIC) into the public release of data about myki card users includes important insights into...
View ArticleWhat should we do about facial recognition?
Privacy dies yet again In another masterful piece of privacy reporting, Kashmir Hill in the New York Times has exposed the nefarious use of facial recognition technology by start-up Clearview. The...
View ArticlePrivacy in design: Tranquil spaces to be ‘let alone’
I love Islamic architecture, for the arched doorways offering little glimpses into private worlds. ‘Smart cities’ are all fine and good for life’s necessary conveniences, with their state-of-the art...
View ArticlePrivacy in a pandemic: Keep calm, and remember first principles
Welcome to the new normal. This month we offer an overview of the privacy issues to think about as you navigate the new normal, with pointers to the best guidance we have found. Privacy is not just...
View ArticleShould I download the COVID-Safe app? The privacy pros and cons
Last Sunday evening, as I was cosily snuggled up on my sofa watching a murder mystery, my phone started beeping like mad. I had multiple text messages from friends and family, all asking my advice on...
View ArticleRe-thinking transparency: If notice and consent is broken, what now?
The concept of consent may not yet be broken, but it is certainly under strain. Nowhere was this more evident than at the IAPP ANZ Summit in late 2019, where speaker after speaker hammered another nail...
View ArticleWhy privacy is a public good in need of better protection
We don’t live in a bubble, so why do privacy laws act like we do? It may seem counter-intuitive, but privacy is very much a public good. If we think of managing privacy as a private exercise, governed...
View ArticlePutting a price tag on privacy
We’ve all heard the saying: “if you’re not paying for the product, you are the product.” The underlying assumption of this phrase is that if we were paying for the product or service, then we wouldn’t...
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