Volunteers working under the name Privacy Tasmania have today launched an event to be held on the 31st of August in Hobart. All members of the public are warmly invited to a series of short talks on the topic of privacy in the digital age and online surveillance. No technical background is required.
The past few months have seen many news reports revealing the ways in which ordinary Internet users are subject to pervasive surveillance.
Emails are searched, URLs are logged and private messages on Facebook are saved. Much of this surveillance is conducted by the National Security Agency in the United States, who considers Australians to be foreign targets whose communications may be trawled freely.
Whistleblowers who have claimed that intelligence programs are illegal and overbearing have been excoriated publicly.
There has been relatively little discussion of this news in Australia.
It raises important questions about the trade-off between privacy and security, the ability of journalists and activists to do their work and whether intelligence organisations and governments have enough accountability to the people they serve. This has an impact even on innocent people who feel that they have nothing to hide.
Australia has not yet witnessed the negative consequences of pervasive state-run surveillance. Other countries have experienced self-censorship, harassment of innocent people and suppression of freedom of association and activism, both vital to democracy. It is not yet time to panic – but it is time for Australians to have an informed debate about the role of intelligence agencies and their access to our lives.
This event is free to the public. It will run between 1 and 3 pm on the 31st of August at Mathers House, Bathurst St.
Privacy Tasmania website: http://privacytas.org/ Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/375423405918923/
Google+ event:
Google+ https://plus.google.com/events/cgacaaacm2cfg3soo11824dumg0
Michael Rodway
