The Abbott Government sure does hate the internet and civil liberties. Following its plans to require internet services providers (ISPs) to police copyright (effectively removing the burden of enforcement from the digital creators and the courts), which could add around $100 million a year to the cost of providing broadband in Australia and raise bills by around 5%, the Government is now reportedly hatching a scheme to require telecommunications companies to store detailed information about the calls and internet use of its customers for two years. From The AFR:
Metadata can include everything from the time, location and duration of phone calls to detailed information about Facebook posts and tweets as well as the type of devices used.
The government wants to store metadata, which would then be used by spy agencies and policing bodies for investigative purposes.
Civil libertarians said the move was a massive breach of privacy while the telecommunications industry has claimed it could cost between $500 million and $600 million to implement, depending on the type of data recorded. Perth-based internet service provider iiNet said this could lead to customers paying an “internet tax” of $5 to $10 extra per month for their services…
Thankfully, Labor and the Greens are so far opposing the Government’s data storage plan. From The Australian:
Bill Shorten accused the government of planning a new “internet tax” that would push up prices for consumers as he backed the principle of stronger security but warned of curbs on individual privacy…
“Labor is firmly against a new internet tax,” Mr Shorten said during a visit to Tasmania…
Greens deputy leader Adam Bandt said security agencies should seek warrants if they needed personal data rather than setting up a blanket rule to store customer information.
“To treat every Australian as a suspect, and to spy on every Australian, as the government is intending to do, is wrong,” Mr Bandt said.
However, Labor does have a checkered history on this issue, suggesting it too cannot be trusted. For years, former Labor Communications Minister, Senator Conroy, championed greater censorship and controls on internet use. Moreover, the Gillard Government drafted plans to require companies to store customer data for two years to make it easier for security agencies to check on an individual’s use of email, social media, the web and mobile phone services before backing down amid objections from civil libertarians and then shadow Communications Minister, Malcolm Turnbull.
The Government intends to seek parliamentary approval of its proposal later this year with an interim data retention measure to be introduced as early as September.
Chalk this up as yet another loss for Australian consumers and civil liberties.
