Journalists and whistleblowers to be jailed

[David]

[David]

The Government's data retention policy is likely to be passed more or less wholesale now, with Labor's support:

http://www.smh.com.au/it-pro/metadata-r ... 3qd4m.html

A cartoon:

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... ume-format

[Culprit]

New phones are coming out which offer complete security of data. Thrown in VPN's. This is a challenge to Geeks to bypass national Security. The Government will spend billions tracking down data that means nothing and not focus on real terrorist that do not use modern communication as they know they can be traced. Waste of time and money.

[Mugwump]

The Government's data retention policy is likely to be passed more or less wholesale now, with Labor's support:

http://www.smh.com.au/it-pro/metadata-r ... 3qd4m.html

A cartoon:

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... ume-format

Watched the cartoon, and it was pretty pathetic and patronising. You have to trust someone when there is danger, and I trust the Intelligence agencies to protect the security of my family more than anyone else with the same skills and mission. By all means let's audit the use of this data, but if that is done I am ok with it.

[David]

^ I honestly think the way this entire policy has been developed and 'explained' to the public is pathetic and patronising. "You want to keep your kids safe, don't you?"

The basic fact is that the vast majority of the population have NFI what data retention is and what this policy means for the future of the country. This law is not being enacted because of public demand, but because of the rubber stamp of public apathy.

Sometimes you've got to dumb it down and hope that some information gets through.

[Wokko]

Guess I'll have to just leave my VPN turned permanently on and go back to using a dumb phone (I barely call anyone, so they're welcome to that [lack of] data).

I don't have anything to hide (file sharing aside), but I believe strongly in personal liberty, privacy and the right of citizens to not consent to searches or for those searches to only be performed with a warrant. This legislation is criminalizing everyone.

Watching the West descend towards tyranny is pretty sad, but I guess that's the cycle of democracy. The ancient Greeks knew it, surprised we thought we could do it differently.

[Jezza]

A very inept policy that won't address the core problems of terrorism and protecting citizens in Australia from any terror-related threats. It's already been said but this is a fundamental breach of our freedom, civil liberties and privacy.

It's actually amazing that I support the Greens stance on this considering I can't stand the party in general. The two main parties are clearly out of their depth on this issue and the reasoning and practicality behind the bill is nonsense even if it may be founded on good intentions of protecting citizens from alleged threats even though I don't think it will make an ounce of difference in addressing terrorist threats in Australia.

I'm sure we'll see a increase of people using VPN when this legislation is passed through the parliament.

[Wokko]

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-2 ... ns/6228664

Just say you support the LDP's stance then instead

[Jezza]

^ Fair point Wokko!

[David]

And this is why polarised political discourse is such a bad thing. I may disagree with 80-90% of the LDP's policies, but when it comes to this important issue, he's one of the few critical voices being heard. A strategic alliance between right-libertarians and leftists on this issue is not just useful, but absolutely essential, because nobody else is going to put their hand up for this fight.

[Mugwump]

^ I honestly think the way this entire policy has been developed and 'explained' to the public is pathetic and patronising. "You want to keep your kids safe, don't you?"

The basic fact is that the vast majority of the population have NFI what data retention is and what this policy means for the future of the country. This law is not being enacted because of public demand, but because of the rubber stamp of public apathy.

Sometimes you've got to dumb it down and hope that some information gets through.

Well, I live in a town where the tube line that my son takes nearly everyday was bombed in2005 with 8 deaths and many maimings. The perpetrators were radicalized through the Internet. The only people I know who are really working to stop that are MI5, and if the head of MI5 says metadata helps a lot, I am prepared to trust him with a few safeguards in place. So yes, keeping the kids safe is pretty real to me.

[Morrigu]

^ Fair call can't disagree with that M !

[Mugwump]

^ The safeguards bit is important, and I have points of contact with the civil libertarians - but I'd be happy with a set of guidelines regarding reasonable use, and an independent public audit to check whether privacy concerns were being abused.

[Wokko]

"The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation."

― Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf

[Mugwump]

^ well, Wokko, I know German history of 1920-1945 pretty well. If you think it parallels contemporary Australia in any significant way, then I think you're, as Darryl Kerrigan would say, dreamin' .... There is an argument about the limits of the state to be had here, but I don't think Hitler parallels take it too far.