Most internet companies and telcos must now start storing their customer's metadata and making it accessible to government agencies without a warrant.

The regime is indiscriminate and poorly regulated. There is a real risk our data might be misused by government agencies or hacked.

We're organising open letters to Australian internet service providers. You can add your name to the letter asking them what they're doing to protect your privacy. We will then organse for it to be delivered to your ISP signed by you and their other customers, and send you their response. Having people asking these questions could get some ISPs to up there game, at the very least it will get them thinking about these issues.'

The Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Act 2015 requires telecommunications service providers to retain their customers' metadata for 2 years. Retained data will include the customer's identity, and the date, time and form of communications.

There is an exception if the Commonwealth decides that a service provider is allowed to delay implementation. The exception lasts for up to 18 months.

Government agencies tasked with enforcing criminal law such as the state and federal police will be able to access the retained data, if they consider it reasonably necessary for enforcing the criminal law. Other agencies tasked with imposing civil fines (such as the Australian Tax Office, Local Governments or the RSPCA) may also be given access to the data.

This campaign is being run in collaboration with:

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