China releases new standard contract regulation for overseas data transfers

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has released new standard contract measures for the cross-border transfer of personal information. These measures are designed to interact with China’s Personal Information Protection Laws (PIPL) to denote when Chinese companies may transfer personal information overseas. The new regulations require companies to obtain a certification from a designated authority …

ACCC releases issue paper on expanding digital platform ecosystems

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced that it will be examining the expansion of digital platform ecosystems in Australia as part of its Digital Platform Services Inquiry. The ACCC has released an issues paper and identified several areas of concern, including the use of data by digital platforms, the impact of digital …

Law Council of Australia opposes the use of artificial intelligence in courtrooms

The Law Council of Australia has expressed its opposition to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in court, arguing that it cannot replace the human judgment and expertise of legal professionals. The council’s president, Luke Murphy, said that lawyers would not be threatened by AI technology, but rather embrace it as a tool to enhance …

New responsibilities for owners of critical infrastructure assets

The Australian government has recently introduced new positive security obligations for owners of critical infrastructure assets. The new laws require owners and operators of critical infrastructure to take a more proactive approach to security. Critical infrastructure includes assets and systems that are essential to the functioning of Australia’s economy and society, such as electricity grids, …

Sydney to host International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Legal Reasoning

The World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology (WASET) is organising an international conference on artificial intelligence (AI) and legal reasoning in Sydney, Australia on May 11-12, 2023. The conference aims to bring together researchers, scientists, scholars, engineers, academics, and practitioners from various fields of AI and law to present their latest research findings and …

Australian Government releases 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Discussion Paper

The Australian government is developing a new cyber security strategy for 2023-2030, aiming to enhance the nation’s resilience and capability in cyberspace. The strategy will be informed by a public consultation process, led by an expert advisory board appointed by the Minister for Cyber Security. The board has released a discussion paper that outlines the …

ASPI releases report detailing Chinese dominance in critical future technologies

A first-of-its-kind report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) has highlighted the challenges posed by China’s technological dominance. The report notes that China is quickly surpassing the United States and other Western countries in key technological areas such as artificial intelligence, 5G networks, and quantum computing. This dominance is not just limited to the …

ACCC removes 15,000 unsafe products from online marketplaces

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Australian Product Safety Pledge saw retailers delist more than 15,000 unsafe products from online marketplaces. The pledge was introduced in November 2020 as a voluntary initiative to encourage major online retailers, such as eBay, AliExpress, Catch, Kogan, and Amazon, to commit to removing unsafe products from their platforms. …

ACMA investigation finds a breach of new scam code by Modica

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) recently released a report on its investigation into Modica Group Limited, a mobile messaging provider. The report found that Modica had breached the Reducing Scam Calls and SCAM SMs Industry Code (Code) by sending unsolicited commercial electronic messages to Australian mobile phone numbers. For a full reading of …

Privacy Act Review Report examines personal information handling in Australia

The Privacy Act Review Report was recently released by the Attorney-General, shedding light on the current state of privacy laws in Australia. The report revealed a number of key findings and recommendations for improving privacy protections for individuals and businesses. The report details several proposals to better the interaction of individuals and the handling of …