Once again, it’s been a big year in the Australian digital rights movement.

Reflecting on the key digital rights issues of the past year it is clear that there is a growing disquiet regarding corporate power and the digital technologies that facilitate it. 

• Companies collecting too much personal information and losing it in data breaches. This strengthened our case for privacy law reform.

• Major retailers and pubs using facial surveillance without the knowledge or consent of patrons gave us the opportunity to renew our campaign against the use of facial recognition technology and biometric data.

• The sale of Twitter to Elon Musk sparked long overdue discussions about privatisation of the internet which we used to advocate for publicly owned digital social infrastructure, immune to the whims of billionaires. 

More than ever, people are asking important questions about the kinds of digital technologies we interact with, and who they ultimately serve.

Throughout all of these moments, Digital Rights Watch has been there. We’ve been working to hold those in power—and the technology they use—to account, and encouraging tech policy and regulations that focuses on protecting people rather than profit.

Over 2022, Digital Rights Watch has propelled public awareness of digital rights issues, shaping the landscape of public debate in Australia. Through our campaigns, events, and collaborations, we have continued to build the strength and scale of the Australian digital rights movement.

We’ve taken part in more than 12 roundtables and consultations, made 10 submissions to government inquiries, bills and consultations, hosted 8 community events, and appeared in the media over 100 times.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the key moments in 2022.

Download the report as a PDF