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Australian Police Given Power To Use Spyware

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the big-brother-actually-is-watching-now dept.

reek writes "An Australian newspaper has reported> that the contentious Surveillance Devices Act has been passed. The act will (according to the article) allow Federal Police to obtain warrants to secretly install spyware onto users computers enabling them to "monitor email, online chats, word processor and spreadsheets entries and even bank personal identification numbers and passwords.""

4 of 450 comments (clear)

  1. A Good Thing? by fembots · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Now that this Surveillance Devices Act allows police to obtain a warrant, does that mean that information obtained unlawfully won't stand in the court?

    I vaguely remember there's a country where it is illegal to obstruct surveillance by way of encryption. And you may be required to hand over all your passwords (if some are protecting legal documents like a Will) if the police decided to take a good look at you.

    I can imagine a police listening to a phone conversation interrupts the suspects and requests them to speak in plain English.

    --
    Rock that crushes, Paper & Scissors that don't matter.
    1. Re:A Good Thing? by zfusion · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I personally don't like the idea of the government using spyware but it is similar to wiretapping. My concerns are the following:

      a. Would a corporation (MS) work with the feds to allow this software a backdoor to bypass security and be easily automatically installed on the system?

      b. What precautions would be made to make sure this software didn't end up in the hands of others and spyware companies?

      c. How are they going to get around more savvy users if firewalls are installed on the systems being monitored?

      Not that I am looking to commit any crimes, but from things I've seen in the news lately, I worry about the future US government or any government abusing it's powers. On another note .. from what I hear about China, I could imagine hearing about the government there trying to implement this on all systems to try to make sure the average citizen isn't exposed to anti-communistic web material.

  2. what's the big deal? by SoupGuru · · Score: 5, Insightful
    The Surveillance Devices Act allows police to obtain a warrant to use software surveillance technologies

    As long as they need to obtain a warrant first, I don't see the big deal.

    --
    What doesn't kill you only delays the inevitable
  3. Re:Great... by Thud457 · · Score: 5, Funny
    • You bleeding heart liberal.
    • If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.
    • Our law enforcement agents aren't fallible and human, they're angelic supermen invulnerable to temptation.
    • This will only be used against BAD PEOPLE (You know they're bad because we told you they are).
    • Why do you hate Amer^H^H^H Austrailia?!!!
    --

    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff