The European Union has issued its first fine, cracking down on companies that misuse users’ personal data. Why hasn’t the US taken a similarly strong approach?
If you carry your smartphone with you everywhere, then the data it tracks could provide a comprehensive picture of your health – and alert you if it begins to deteriorate.
The government has rejected a call to extend the My Health Record opt-out period while amendments are made to ensure the privacy and security of the system.
Smart meters are being rolled out across Australia, offering the opportunity to share data with third parties who promise to help you find a cheaper deal. But this requires strong consumer protection.
The broad and ill-defined new powers outlined in the government’s new telecommunications bill are neither necessary nor proportionate – and contain significant scope for abuse.
If we want My Health Record data to be made available for medical research we need to make it opt in, not opt out. We’ll have a smaller dataset, but at least it will be ethically defensible.
Personal data is sold, bought and traded among companies all the time. But what if the companies profiting from your data had to pay you a share of that earning?
Three trends suggest people in less developed nations – who are coming online in greater numbers – use and trust the internet very differently those in more developed economies.
Unless you take action to remove yourself before October 15, the federal government will make a digital copy of your medical record, store it centrally, and give numerous people access to it.