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Vaccine passports may soon be required for travelling amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Like biometrics, they’ll likely become a permanent part of our daily lives — and there’s barely been any debate about them. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Why we need to seriously reconsider COVID-19 vaccination passports

COVID-19 vaccine passports are being presented as a relatively simple technological solution to our current travel woes. But meaningful public debate about their merits and problems is essential.
Monaco and Japan have some of the highest life expectancies in the world. But calculating an individual’s life expectancy will require taking data analysis several steps further. SHUTTERSTOCK

Don’t die wondering: apps may soon be able to predict your life expectancy, but do you want to know?

Predicting life expectancy remains in the realm of science fiction, but it may soon be possible. Are we prepared for such information? And who else would benefit from this knowledge?
Of the 23 recommendations made in the ACCC’s final report, the government supported six in their entirety, ten “in principle”, “noted” five and rejected two. shutterstock

The federal government’s response to the ACCC’s Digital Platforms Inquiry is a let down

The ACCC’s inquiry was launched to address concerns about the market power of major digital platforms, such as Google and Facebook, and their impact on Australia’s businesses and media.
While leaks and whistleblowers continue to be valuable tools in the fight for data privacy, we can’t rely on them solely to keep big tech companies in check. SHUTTERSTOCK

The ugly truth: tech companies are tracking and misusing our data, and there’s little we can do

Most of us are probably having our data tracked in some form. And while there are regulatory safeguards in place to protect user privacy, it’s hard to say whether these are enough.
Home DNA testing has made it easy and affordable for millions of people to learn about their ancestry. Now, police are using this genetic information to identify suspects in unsolved crimes. Shutterstock

Privacy concerns don’t stop people from putting their DNA on the internet to help solve crimes

Despite privacy concerns over police use of DNA uploaded to ancestry websites, many people are just excited that their genetic material could get a killer off the streets.

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