This Week In Digital Trust

This week we explore the privacy risks in otherwise publicly visible information, after a dozen privacy regulators from around the world issued a joint statement on the issue of data scraping. The regulators' statement emphasises that even personal information that is publicly accessible is subject to data protection and privacy laws, and calls out social media platforms to do more to prevent the practice. We explore the factors behind the uptick in data scraping, and who should be most responsible for stopping it. *** Correction *** In the episode Jordan says 'contextual integrity' is an idea of academic Julie E Cohen's - it's not, it comes from Helen Nissenbaum, a professor in information Science at Cornell Tech. If you're interested, see Helen's book 'Privacy in Context' https://www.sup.org/books/title/?id=8862. Julie does have a great article on this topic (the relationship between privacy and visibility in the networked information age), which you can read here: https://scholarship.law.georgetown.edu/facpub/805/   Links: Statement on data scraping https://www.oaic.gov.au/newsroom/global-expectations-of-social-media-platforms-and-other-sites-to-safeguard-against-unlawful-data-scraping Article on data scraping statements (TechCrunch) https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/24/data-scraping-privacy-risks-joint-statement/ Determination against Clearview AI (OAIC) https://www.oaic.gov.au/newsroom/clearview-ai-breached-australians-privacy   Credits:Editing and post-production by Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) eastcoaststudio.com.auMusic by Bensound.com

This week we explore the tension between the competing values of privacy and public interest journalism. Today, journalists enjoy a broad exemption from privacy laws. However, reform proposals have ignited debate about whether that free pass is still appropriate. We discuss the scope and merits of these reform proposals and explore the arguments by journalists on why the exemption is necessary.   Links: Article on journalism exemptions (Guardian) https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/11/consumer-advocates-reject-media-calls-to-preserve-exemptions-to-australian-privacy-law Media Watch on journalism exemption (YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_aaxFcd1BA Australia’s Right to Know coalition submission https://consultations.ag.gov.au/integrity/privacy-act-review-report/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=know&uuId=60975522 Privacy Act Review report https://www.ag.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-02/privacy-act-review-report_0.pdf Credits: Editing and post-production by Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) eastcoaststudio.com.au Music by Bensound.com

This week we review responses to the Australian Government's open consultation on how to mitigate the potential risks of AI. In June, the Government called for submissions to its discussion paper titled "Safe and responsible AI in Australia". While the submissions haven't been published, several have made their way into the public domain.  As well as sharing the recommendations of our own (elevenM) submission, we explore proposals from big tech giants Microsoft and Google, various members of academia, think-tanks such as the UTS Human Technology Institute, and the Australian Human Rights Commission.   Links: Article about AI replacing Taylor Swift (SMH) https://www.smh.com.au/culture/music/what-s-next-for-john-lennon-a-duet-with-taylor-swift-20230810-p5dvf2.html Government discussion paper: Safe and responsible AI in Australia https://consult.industry.gov.au/supporting-responsible-ai Reporting on submission from Kingston AI Group researchers (AFR) https://www.afr.com/technology/labor-ignoring-the-elephant-in-the-room-on-ai-experts-20230804-p5du1p Submission from the Gradient Institute https://www.gradientinstitute.org/posts/disr-safe-responsible-ai-submission/ Reporting on submission from Google (AFR) https://www.afr.com/technology/google-tells-government-how-to-regulate-ai-and-who-to-blame-when-it-goes-wrong-20230728-p5ds0s Reporting on submission from Microsoft (AFR) https://www.afr.com/technology/microsoft-urges-soft-approach-as-husic-vows-to-regulate-high-risk-ai-20230721-p5dqaf Reporting on submission from UTS Human Technology Institute (InnovationAus) https://www.innovationaus.com/do-we-need-new-ai-laws-sure-but-lets-try-enforce-what-we-have-first/ Submission from Australian Human Rights Commission https://humanrights.gov.au/about/news/australia-needs-ai-regulation EU AI Act https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/society/20230601STO93804/eu-ai-act-first-regulation-on-artificial-intelligence   Credits:Editing and post-production by Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) eastcoaststudio.com.auMusic by Bensound.com

This week we discuss targeted advertising, its role in the development of the commercial internet, and how it affects users today. We explore the varying attitudes to the practice of targeted advertising, its benefits and harms, and regulatory measures being considered to curb its excesses. Links: $20m ACCC penalty for Meta https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/20m-penalty-for-meta-companies-for-conduct-liable-to-mislead-consumers-about-use-of-their-data ACMA fine for CBA over spam https://www.acma.gov.au/articles/2023-06/commonwealth-bank-penalised-355-million-spam-breaches ACMA fine for mycar Tyre and Auto over spam https://www.acma.gov.au/articles/2023-06/mycar-tyre-auto-penalised-1m-spam-breaches ACCC data brokers inquiry https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-invites-views-on-data-broker-industry A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace (EFF) https://www.eff.org/cyberspace-independence Article about the internet's grand bargain (HBR) https://hbr.org/2018/04/gdpr-and-the-end-of-the-internets-grand-bargain SalingerPrivacy blog on targeted advertising risks https://www.salingerprivacy.com.au/2023/08/01/media-and-marketing-industry-blog/ Katherine Kemp article on targeted advertising (The Conversation) https://theconversation.com/proposed-privacy-reforms-could-help-australia-play-catch-up-with-other-nations-but-they-fail-to-tackle-targeted-ads-200166 Meta argument in favour of targeted advertising (The Australian) https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/targeting-helps-protect-kids-from-agerestricted-ads-says-meta-head-of-policy-melinda-claybaugh/news-story/fd9f41778b983861d55fb254e3932215 Ad industry argument in favour of targeted advertising (The Australian) https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/sacrificing-personalised-advertising-on-the-altar-of-privacy-is-not-the-answer/news-story/8a66403cda7ae0dcc602a1067790614b FTC paper on targeted advertising https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/reports/brief-primer-economics-targeted-advertising/economic_issues_paper_-_economics_of_targeted_advertising.pdf Credits: Editing and post-production by Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) eastcoaststudio.com.au Music by Bensound.com

This week, we're excited to feature a conversation with Angelene Falk, Australia's Information Commissioner and Privacy Commissioner. The topic of our conversation is the 2023 Australian Community Attitudes to Privacy Survey, which the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has just published. We discuss the value of surveying the community on privacy and explore the report’s key findings including attitudes to privacy, expectations of the role of organisations, attitudes to data breaches, awareness of privacy legislation and what protections people want in relation to new technologies like AI and for children. Links: Australian Community Attitudes to Privacy Survey 2023 https://www.oaic.gov.au/acaps Credits: Music by Bensound.com

This week, we go deep on misinformation. We start by breaking down some new academic research into the effect of Facebook and its algorithms on polarisation, and challenge some of the reporting on the key takeaways from the research. We also explore Australia's proposed misinformation bill and discuss its merits and the commentary surrounding the bill. Links: Nature blog on research (Nature) https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-02420-z Article about research into Meta's impact on polarisation (Atlantic) https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2023/07/meta-facebook-political-polarization-studies/674841/ Nick Clegg blog on research (Meta) https://about.fb.com/news/2023/07/research-social-media-impact-elections/ Previous Nick Clegg blog (Medium) https://nickclegg.medium.com/you-and-the-algorithm-it-takes-two-to-tango-7722b19aa1c2 Analysis of research findings (Tech Policy Press) https://techpolicy.press/what-can-we-learn-from-the-first-studies-of-facebooks-and-instagrams-roles-in-the-us-2020-election/ Article about "Ministry of Truth" claims (SMH) https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/laws-no-ministry-of-truth-minister-defends-proposed-misinformation-laws-20230714-p5docy.html Rod Sims op-ed (AFR) https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/making-big-tech-combat-disinformation-is-no-threat-to-free-speech-20230724-p5dqoy Article about Aus Government misinformation laws (Guardian) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-25/fines-to-punish-online-misinformation-under-new-draft-bill/102521500 Credits: Music by Bensound.com

This week we discuss the burgeoning trade in our location data. Our mobile devices and the apps on them regularly collect and and transmit the details of our physical location. Sometimes this is to support a useful and convenient purpose, like finding a nearby cafe or a family member. But at other times, it's in order to share and sell that data with third-parties such as data brokers. We explore these practices in more detail. Links: Article about US lawmaker moves to prevent law enforcement from buying location data (WIRED) https://www.wired.com/story/fourth-amendment-is-not-for-sale-act-2023/ Investigation into location data (NYTimes) https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/12/19/opinion/location-tracking-cell-phone.html Article about location data relating to abortion clinics (Guardian) https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/jul/01/google-delete-location-data-abortion-clinic Article about Life360 family safety app (The Markup https://themarkup.org/privacy/2021/12/06/the-popular-family-safety-app-life360-is-selling-precise-location-data-on-its-tens-of-millions-of-user   Credits: Music by Bensound.com

This week we discuss the new social networking app from Meta - Threads. Will it successfully meet the expectation for, and Meta's promo claims of, a new public conversation app to rival Twitter from years gone by? We also discuss the reasons behind the app not launching in the EU, and the regulatory lessons of this outcomes.   Links: Introducing Threads: A New Way to Share With Text (Meta) https://about.fb.com/news/2023/07/introducing-threads-new-app-text-sharing/ Article welcoming Threads with heady excitement (SMH) https://www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/hit-app-threads-is-intoxicating-it-offers-the-internet-we-were-promised-20230709-p5dmvt.html Interview with Meta's Adam Mosseri (The Verge) https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/7/23787334/instagram-threads-news-politics-adam-mosseri-meta-facebook Another interview with Mosseri (Platformer) ⁠ https://www.platformer.news/p/meta-unspools-threads Article about Threads not launching in Europe (The Verge) https://www.theverge.com/23789754/threads-meta-twitter-eu-dma-digital-markets   Credits: Music by Bensound.com

This week we explore the growing use of facial recognition by stadiums, after a recent CHOICE report revealed the technology was in use at several major sporting and concert venues around Australia. We evaluate the merits of varying uses of the technology, from the security use cases to enabling of more convenient check-in and purchasing services for stadium patrons. Links: CHOICE report https://www.choice.com.au/consumers-and-data/data-collection-and-use/how-your-data-is-used/articles/facial-recognition-in-stadiums Article about Australian stadium facial recognition use (ABC) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-06/facial-recognition-used-sports-stadiums-scg-mcg-allianz-stadium/102562646 Ticketek CTO comments (AFR) https://www.afr.com/technology/ticketek-cto-says-chinesestyle-facial-recognition-tech-will-soon-be-used-at-aussie-events-20180521-h10bkf US use of facial recognition (WIRED) https://www.wired.com/story/get-used-to-face-recognition-in-stadiums/ Story about lawyer getting banned by Madison Square Gardens (The Verge) https://www.theverge.com/2022/12/21/23520990/rockettes-msg-facial-recognition-ban-privacy-ai Credits: Music by Bensound.com

This is the fourth and final episode in our short series about AI. In this episode, we assess the public dialogue about AI and how it has evolved in recent times. We discuss the heady excitement about the technology's possibilities and emerging concerns about its risks, and what the right risks to focus on are. We also explore how the emerging AI conversation compares to discussions about previous disruptive technologies such as social media.   Links: Open letter about AI risks https://futureoflife.org/open-letter/pause-giant-ai-experiments/ News article written by ChatGPT https://news.sky.com/story/chatgpt-we-let-an-ai-chatbot-help-write-an-article-heres-how-it-went-12763244 Article about AI-generated version of songs by The Weeknd and Drake (NY Times) https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/19/arts/music/ai-drake-the-weeknd-fake.html Nick Cave on AI (BBC News) https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-64302944 2016 article about self-driving trucks (The Guardian) https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jun/17/self-driving-trucks-impact-on-drivers-jobs-us   Credits: Music by Bensound.com