Google getting on board, but can we stop behavioural tracking?
In the last year, the idea of a “do not track” mechanism for web surfers has gained currency. The name invokes the idea of the do-not-call list for telemarketers, which those of us who prefer eating dinner undisturbed will be well familiar. With Google this week endorsing the concept via its Chrome web browser, will […]
Time to retire classification
(From an opinion piece published on ABC Online). Before it came along, we were served by a revolving series of moral panics, changing censorship ministers and a patchwork of different state systems. Many books and films were banned that today would hardly warrant a mention – I wonder how many high schools would not allow […]
Facebook address move raises new privacy worries
Update 19/1/11 10am: Looks like Facebook have suspended this scary new feature for now. Facebook, by now almost synonymous with online privacy woes, has made another change to its platform that has privacy experts worried. The latest move, reported in several outlets, expands the information available to Facebook application developers. Now, users can grant applications […]
Europe gets it: Filters don't protect children
The European Internet Services Providers Association (EuroISPA) has spoken out against ISP internet filtering, saying that it is an ineffective band-aid that leaves illegal material online and in the wild. EuroISPA has called on the European Parliament to focus instead on permanently removing the material at its source. Forcing ISPs to block access to sites, […]
EFA raises concerns about attack on online commerce
Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) today questioned the campaign by major retailers to thwart the rise in overseas e-commerce. Major retailers today published an open letter calling on the Government to lower the GST-free threshold on imported items, in a bid to slow the growth of online sales. “We think this move would hurt Australian internet […]