Data protection

ALTERNATIVE LABELS
Data governance
Data regulation
Data security


Working paper

In whose interest? Why businesses need to keep consumers safe and treat their data with care

Australia’s privacy laws rely on notification and consent as the primary means of protecting consumers. The onus is on consumers to navigate complex privacy protections in a continuously complex digital economy. The author of this paper argues that it's time to consider reforms that hold...
Policy report

Emerging privacy-enhancing technologies: current regulatory and policy approaches

This report examines privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs), which are digital solutions that allow information to be collected, processed, analysed and shared while protecting data confidentiality and privacy. The report reviews recent technological advancements and evaluates the effectiveness of different types of PETs, as well as the...
Discussion paper

2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy: discussion paper

This discussion paper has been released to seek public and industry feedback to enhance the development of the Australian government's 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy.
Report

The lobbying ghost in the machine

This report identifies the lobby attempts of large United States tech corporations to influence the European Union’s regulation of artificial intelligence. It finds that 'big tech' has pushed all its levers to water down the regulation.
Report

Trust in artificial intelligence: a global study

Other authors
Ali Akbari, James Mabbott, Rita Fentener van Vlissingen, Jessica Wyndham, Richard Boele
This research examines the public’s trust and attitudes towards artificial intelligence (AI) use across 17 countries. The study asked about who is trusted to develop, use and govern AI, the perceived benefits and risks of AI use, community expectations of the development, regulation and governance...
Report

Privacy Act Review report 2022

This report is the culmination of two years of extensive consultation and review of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). The review was instigated following the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s 2019 Digital Platforms Inquiry final report, which made several privacy recommendations.
Policy report

Secrecy, sovereignty and sharing: how data and emerging technologies are transforming intelligence

This policy brief draws on empirical research conducted at Deakin University, which involved interviews with almost 50 participants inside all the Australian National Intelligence Community agencies. It focuses on the unique impacts of big data and emerging technologies on intelligence and excluded discussion of broader...
Report

Cyber Security NSW: governance, roles, and responsibilities

This audit assesses the effectiveness of Cyber Security NSW's arrangements in contributing to the NSW Government's commitments under the NSW Cyber Security Strategy, in particular, increasing the NSW Government's cyber resiliency.
Working paper

Effects of digitalization on the human centricity of social security administration and services

The author of this working paper argues that there is no substitute for sound, evidence-based policy development to support a human-centric approach to social policy and government to service delivery. To enhance the benefits from AI while minimising the adverse risks, social security administration needs...
Report

ACCC CDR compliance review of authorisation processes

The Consumer Data Right (CDR) gives consumers greater control over their consumer data by enabling consumers to direct a data holder to safely share their CDR data with an accredited data recipient. This report outlines findings regarding six data holders’ compliance with their authorisation-related CDR...
Report

Data breaches and cybercrime victimisation

This paper draws on data from a large national survey conducted in 2021 to examine the prevalence of data breaches among Australian computer users and the relationship between data breaches and other forms of cybercrime victimisation.
Guide

A Data Capability Framework for the not-for-profit sector

As community services rapidly digitise, they are generating more data than ever before. This research shows that data capability involves fostering effective and responsible data practices across three integrated dimensions - data access and infrastructure, data skills and data governance.
Report

Public exposure and responses to data breaches in Australia: October 2022

This paper reports Australians' views about data trust, cybercrime and data breaches and how these have changed. It is based on data from four waves of the ANUpoll collected over the period October 2019 to October 2022.
Report

The state of open data 2022

Based on a global survey, this report is now in its seventh year. It provides insights into researchers’ attitudes towards and experiences of open data. With more than 5,400 respondents, the 2022 survey is the largest since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Report

Statutory review of the Consumer Data Right: report

This review finds that the Consumer Data Right's (CDR's) statutory framework has so far been broadly effective in supporting the CDR's rollout, is sufficiently flexible and robust to accommodate further changes to achieve policy objectives, and has scope to further explore its limits as the...
Report

Digital futures in mind: reflecting on technological experiments in mental health and crisis support

Other authors
Leah Harris, James Horton, Simon Katterl, Keris Myrick, Kelechi Ubozoh, Alberto Vasquez
The authors of this report argue that urgent public attention is needed to make sense of the expanding use of algorithmic and data-driven technologies in the mental health context.
Briefing paper

Toward an international agenda to protect the forum internum

In the twenty-first century, new developments in technology are increasingly being designed to get inside our minds and change the way we think. In this paper, the author argues that the United Nations should establish practical frameworks to guarantee our absolute right to freedom of...
Guide

Publishing sensitive data

This ARDC guide will help you to understand how to publish sensitive data for maximum benefit in a way that is safe and ethical.
Report

Consumer data right: non-bank lending sectoral assessment - final report

The Consumer Data Right (CDR) currently applies to the banking, energy and telecommunication sectors. This assessment report recommends the designation of the non‑bank lending sector for the CDR.
Report

Public interest sex tech hackathon: speculative futures and participatory design

Sex tech has emerged as a site in which sexual pleasure, wellbeing and health are increasingly understood as data. The Public Interest Sex Tech Hackathon offered new perspectives on ethical data governance and public interest technologies by exploring a topic that has been both sensationalised/stigmatised...
Report

Australia’s data-enabled research future: the social sciences

The aim of this project was to identify recent developments, opportunities, and priority gaps in Australia’s social science research data ecosystem.
Working paper

Decentralising data governance: Decentralised Autonomous Organisations (DAOs) as data trusts

This paper explores the idea that Decentralised Autonomous Organisations (DAOs) are a new type of data trust for decentralised governance of data.
Report

Australia’s data-enabled research future: health and medical sciences

This report argues that in order to capitalise on the opportunities to improve health and make use of the ever-increasing volume of health data, Australia must develop an environment that enables the safe and secure use of patient data for legitimate research purposes – balanced...
Report

Australia’s data-enabled research future: technology and engineering

This project is the result of a partnership between the ARDC, Australia’s five Learned Academies and ACOLA, to ensure Australia can undertake excellent data-enabled research across all fields of research.
Report

A future built on data: data strategies, competitive advantage and trust

In the twenty-first century, data became the subject of national strategy. This paper examines these visions and strategies to better understand what policy-makers hope to achieve.