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Australian Courts Will Be Able To See Your Browsing History

Posted by timothy on from the remember-that-slippery-slope-we-warned-you-about? dept.

An anonymous reader writes A series of slips by the nation's top cop followed by communications minister Malcolm Turnbull has made Australia's data retention bill even more of a potential horror than it seemed when it was introduced last week, writes Richard Chirgwin in an article about Australia's new legislation. "Lawyers are already gathering, telling the ABC's PM program that metadata could be demanded in family law cases and insurance cases." It continues, with the inevitable result that your internet browsing history will be used against people trying to resist demands during divorce. "What's depressing is that Australians probably won't take to the streets about this issue."

11 of 182 comments (clear)

  1. Sadly, not surprising. by BitterOak · · Score: 5, Interesting

    What's depressing is that Australians probably won't take to the streets about this issue.

    Really? I'm surprised Australians are even still allowed to take to the streets!

    --
    If I can be modded down for being a troll, can I be modded up for being an orc, or a balrog?
    1. Re:Sadly, not surprising. by crafty.munchkin · · Score: 4, Informative

      As of the 1st of September this year, Australian's in the state of Victoria have lost the right to protest.

      --
      ... wait, what?
    2. Re:Sadly, not surprising. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      Had to Google it to believe it:

      http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/29/victorias-new-anti-protest-bill-is-a-threat-to-our-freedom-of-assembly
      http://rightnow.org.au/topics/bill-of-rights/after-democracy-victorias-new-anti-protest-laws/

      That's sad in itself, but even more sad is how ignorant and plain stupid the general population have become. Nobody seems to show the slightest interest towards these kind of issues anymore. Even the poor efforts of modern day slacktivists make me want to cry myself to eternal sleep.

    3. Re:Sadly, not surprising. by WillKemp · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Australia was pretty cool. Well, mostly - Queensland was always a rogue state. Sadly we've been going rapidly downhill for about the last 20 years. We're gradually turning into the US - but without the basic freedoms of the US constitution.

  2. makes no sense by Noah+Haders · · Score: 4, Funny

    with the inevitable result that your internet browsing history will be used against people trying to resist demands during divorce.

    why would my internet history be used against others in divorce court? I don't see how that kind of evidence would be relevant.

    1. Re:makes no sense by mjwx · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Because if the defendant ever starred in some kind of sordid sex act and it ever found its way to the internet, they know it's probably in your internet history.

      The thing is, the Australian court doesn't give a fat rats clacker about your personal perversions in a divorce proceeding. They only care about your financial situation.

      Sure your S&M habits might have something to do with a sexual assault case, but not a divorce.

      Australians simply aren't prudes like Americans.

      However I dont expect this law to actually go anywhere (it's not implemented yet) mainly because ISPs are fighting the mandatory data retention laws.

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  3. Re:Technically... by mysidia · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If using DuckDuckGo, then maybe you'll be presumed to have had something to hide; therefore, you automatically lose the action.

    Such is the way of tyrannical systems which don't respect personal privacy...

  4. Re:Technically... by AHuxley · · Score: 4, Informative

    Get a good VPN out to a another country.
    A good VPN would just show a VPN ip range as logged with your ISP.
    Ensure the VPN covers all web use and services not just basic webpage use.
    Laws could always change about how a VPN product is understood by the gov.
    That VPN could be in a country with bilateral agreements, multilateral treaties or has same banking understandings.
    The use of an Australian credit card is an issue. Track Australian credit card use to find VPN users. No local isp paperwork needed.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
    A request for details about VPN use in other countries might just results in CC lists been sent back.
    Five eyes, nations friendly with the five eye nations make a VPN selection interesting.

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    Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
  5. Just what's needed by whoever57 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This is exactly what is needed -- how long will it be before a prominent politician is sued and his browsing history is demanded by the party that is suing?

    --
    The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
  6. Re:Technically... by Zontar+The+Mindless · · Score: 5, Interesting

    "If you've done nothing wrong, you've nothing to hide"?

    Just today, as a result of following links from Slashdot or the BBC, or looking up or following up on things mentioned in those places, I've browsed several pages about Alessandra and Benito Mussolini, sodomy laws, some stupid anime video on YouTube of which I only watched the first 5-10 seconds (but which now shows up in my YT history just as if I'd actually looked at the whole thing), a 1990s serial killer in Washington State, nuclear proliferation, and the status of women under Islam.

    A crafty lawyer or government agent could try to turn that into... God knows what... about me. In court. Where the burden of proof is suddenly shifted on *me* to prove that I'm not a closet Neo-Fascist/homosexual/serial killer/nuclear terrorist/misogynist/anime fan.

    KGFY.

    --
    Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
  7. Re:Get a VPN with bitcoin by astro · · Score: 4, Interesting

    What I do (for different reasons than stated, basically I want USA prices on online purchases, and no censorship restrictions on game purchases in particular):

    1. Rent a $30/mo VPS in the USA. Some people will say even that is on the pricey side, but it is with reliable folks that I know and trust, and they're a legit green business, running "carbon-negative".
    2. Sell (very) cheap web hosting and support services to a handful of US clients, which makes the VPS purchase totally legit, if anyone were to ask why I have this.
    3. Run OpenVPN on my own VPS. My VPN traffic to my own server that I have for legit reasons looks the same as my legit support traffic via SSH to my VPS.

    I actually make pocket-change level profit doing this, instead of paying for a commercial VPN.

    Note, though, that I am replying to parent - this would do me no good in the problem presented in the OP here - as I do not obscure my local browser history at all, were the German cops to come and take my computers.