Google found to breach competition law with illegal monopoly over app store

In a ground-breaking competition ruling, a jury in the United States has declared Google guilty of anti-competitive behaviour, marking a significant moment in the ongoing scrutiny of big tech monopolies. The verdict, which stems from allegations from Epic Games of Google stifling competition within the app distribution market, sends shockwaves through an industry already under …

Governance Institute of Australia report recommends organisations improve their data governance practices

The Governance Institute of Australia (GIA) released its annual report and found that many Australian organisations lack the appropriate understanding of data governance and best practices. The GIA conducted a survey of 345 individuals of varying levels of staff. Amongst those surveyed, 50% said their organisation did not have a data governance framework and approximately …

Australian Signals Directorate updates Essential Eight Maturity Model

The Essential Eight Maturity Model sets mitigation strategies for organisations to follow to protect themselves against cybersecurity threats. The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) has announced updates to the model following its assessment of the average time taken by malicious actors to exploit vulnerabilities. The Essential Eight is categorised based on three levels of maturity. The …

Digital ID Bill introduced in Australian Senate

The Digital ID Bill 2023 (Cth) was introduced in the Australian Senate, steering the nation towards a transformative era in digital identity. The Bill aims to strengthen the existing Digital ID schemes by increasing governance, privacy, and consumer protections as well as redefine the landscape of online interactions, privacy, and security. At its core, the …

Australian Government releases its 2023-2030 Cyber Security Strategy

The Australian Government has released its 2023-2030 Cyber Security Strategy. The Strategy sets 6 cyber shields that form an overarching framework to bolster Australian cyber security. The shields are as follows: Strong businesses and citizens Provide more widespread protection for businesses and citizens through cyber maturity assessment ransomware reporting, and the development of the Digital …

Senate Committee provides 12 recommendations for Identity Verification Services Bill 2023

The Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee has issued 12 recommendations on how to improve the Identity Verification Services Bill 2023, focusing on privacy safeguards. The Bill creates a legislative framework that underpins the function of the government’s identity verification services, which are used to compare and verify individual information against documents and existing …

ATO releases web guidance on cryptocurrency taxation

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has recently released extensive non-binding web guidance on taxing crypto assets for individuals engaging in crypto activities. The guidance spans three crucial subsections, aiming to shed light on the taxation nuances surrounding crypto asset transactions involving gift cards or debit cards, crypto asset prizes and gambling winnings, and the complexities …

Social media platform X fined $610,000 for reporting failure

The eSafety Commissioner has imposed a hefty fine of $610,000 on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, citing a significant failure in reporting mechanisms. The penalty underscores the growing importance of accountability and user safety in the realm of social media in Australia. The eSafety Commissioner took decisive action against X after …

The Bletchley Declaration ushers in global artificial intelligence unity

The Bletchley Declaration was signed by Australia and 27 other countries at the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety Summit in Bletchley Park, United Kingdom. The Declaration establishes a pivotal shared understanding of the opportunities and risks associated with frontier artificial intelligence and is designed to unify the countries in the responsible development and use of AI …

The Cyber Threat Report 2022-23 records rise in cyber attacks

The Australian Cyber Security Centre, under the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), published the annual Cyber Threat Report 2022-23. The report highlights escalating cyber threats throughout various Australian industries as malicious actors demonstrated the intent and capability to compromise vital systems. To summarise: State actors, focusing on critical infrastructure, were specifically susceptible to data theft and …