The Online Safety Bill is a threat to activism

Sunday, 11 April 2021 - 11:00am to 11:30am
'What you need to know about the Online Safety Bill.' Credit Digital Rights Watch

What if the government stopped you from sharing videos of police violence? Or spied on your private communications? And did it in the name of keeping you safe?  

These are some of the possible outcomes of the Federal government’s proposed Online Safety Bill. The Bill would give broad and unchecked powers to the Australian eSafety Commissioner to censor the internet and further extend the government’s ability to intercept our private communications.  

Environmental activists and campaigns might not be mentioned by the government, but there is a history of politicians and police framing activism as a criminal threat. And there’s nothing to stop them from using the Online Safety Bill to do just that.  

And then later on the show, it’s 150 years since the Paris Commune. What can those 19th century revolutionaries teach us about our digital world today?  

   

Guest: Lizzie O'Shea (Digital Rights Watch).  

  

Links:  

   

Earth Matters #1291 was produced by Teishan Ahearne.

A banner that's painted in the aboriginal flag colours. The banner says Always Was Always Will Be
Sunday 11:00am to 11:30am
Local and global environmental issues from grassroots, activist perspectives with a strong social justice focus. Distributed nationally on the Community Radio Network.

Presenter

Phil Evans, Bec Horridge, Eiddwen Jeffery, Judith Peppard & Jacob Gamble

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