[LINK] Authorities gain power to collect Australians' internet records

[Jan Whitaker]

At 09:48 AM 23/08/2012, Richard Chirgwin wrote:

>They are allowed to require carriers to collect the data - for either
>one day, or 30 days - and may access it if a warrant is granted. If
>there's no warrant, the data has to be dumped.

This comment to the Fairfax article today points out why this is new 
law is a problem:
http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/new-law-to-control-cyber-data-20120822-24mur.html

It is new- emails are the modern equivalent of writing a letter - 
this a law requiring ISPs to copy and retain someone's letters - 
without a warrant - while warrant is still required for the Police to 
be able to read them, it is like requiring Australia Post to open and 
copy your mail in case the Police want to read it. Sarahjane - there 
are laws that make it an offence for anyone to interfere with your 
snailmail without a warrant - and removing it from your letterbox 
also counts as theft. This law treats electronic communication 
differently to that which takes a stamp. The retention of ANY private 
communications by ISPs should only be allowed upon the issue of a warrant.
============

What is the discriminator to determine if it's 1 day or 30 days, Richard?
and is it ANY ISP? What about small ones, like Melbourne PC User 
Group, whose technical support is negligible and will soon be all volunteers?



Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
blog: http://janwhitaker.com/jansblog/
business: http://www.janwhitaker.com

Our truest response to the irrationality of the world is to paint or 
sing or write, for only in such response do we find truth.
~Madeline L'Engle, writer

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