The Australian Attorney-General’s Department is working on a controversial data retention requirement that would have Internet service providers in the country hold on to users browsing histories for years for law enforcement investigations.
ZDNet.com.au is reporting that the AG’s department has been in discussions with industry representatives who are generally not in favor of it.
The AG’s department said in a statement: “The Attorney-General’s Department has been looking at the European Directive on Data Retention, to consider whether such a regime is appropriate within Australia’s law enforcement and security context. It has consulted broadly with the telecommunications industry.”
ZDNet wrote: “Currently, companies that provide customers with a connection to the internet don’t retain or log subscriber’s private web browsing history unless they are given an interception warrant by law enforcement, usually approved by a judge. It is only then that companies can legally begin tapping a customer’s internet connection.”
Colin Jacobs, chair of the Electronic Frontier Australia said, “At some point data retention laws can be reasonable, but highly-personal information such as browsing history is a step too far. You can’t treat everybody like a criminal. That would be like tapping people’s phones before they are suspected of doing any crime.”
Story here: “Govt wants ISPs to record browsing history”
Tom Kelchner