[LINK] Metadata retention has consumer benefits

[Brendan]

On 30/10/14 21:02, Chris Johnson wrote:
> Metadata retention scheme could be a bonanza
> <http://www.smh.com.au/comment/metadata-retention-scheme-could-be-a-bonanza-20141030-11e4gs.html>
>
> A comment article in Sydney Morning Herald (posted 8pm 30 Oct 2014) by
> Wilson Da Silva (ex Cosmos magazine editor-in-chief) lauds the benefits
> to us as consumers of being able to get hold of all our own metadata
> when it is retained for the government. It gives no consideration at all
> to the problems and cost of enabling any such access, and the even wider
> potential for exposure through deliberate abuse and errors. The problem
> of authenticating millions of requestors for multiple million metadata
> records - to be granted to each person, and handed out to no-one else?
> Makes the design, implementation, and roll out of a travel card or
> Electronic Health records look trivial.
> The Agency will not be concerned if they receive more records than
> requested, it will be all useful big data - but if someone else receives
> my records I would be rather annoyed. At least.

It is disappointing that this argument, which to my mind has nothing to recommend it, is given airplay. I assume it's just clickbait.

If anyone cares about that information, they already have it in their browser history etc.
Moreover, the system will not be set up to allow you to obtain your own metadata.
The scope for abuse is gobsmacking. Nova Peris might have something to say about it?
We need our _government_ to be more transparent. Not the other way around.