Senator Scott Ludlam was today named the Greens’ Digital Rights Commissioner, using the opportunity to announce a plan to “advocate for the online safety, accessibility, privacy and security of all Australians.”
“It’s virtually impossible for an individual to engage with the wider world if they can’t access the internet. Australians are some of the heaviest users of the internet in the world, yet we lag way behind in the protection of our rights online,” Senator Ludlam said.
“A Digital Rights Commissioner, working within the Australian Human Rights Commission, will work to scrutinise legislation, and will advise governments, departments and the general public on the effect of proposals, programs and legislation, focusing on online safety, accessibility, privacy and security for all Australians. The Human Rights Commission achieves their objective through education, legal advice, public advocacy and research.
“It’s not just data retention, or the new facial recognition capability. It’s not just privacy that is under attack; the government and opposition have shown startling illiteracy around issues such as encryption, which millions of Australians rely on for their banking and secure communication. An independent advocate will help address vulnerability to online fraud and theft, well before ill-considered proposals become law.
Senator Ludlam will hold a Reddit AMA at 6.30 pm AEST to discuss digital rights.
You can read through the Greens’ full initiative here.
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