Home topics news Credit: Matthew Henry News News Government overhauls privacy laws: Opt-out, right to forget, & more Yajush Gupta October 3, 2023 The Australian government is planning to introduce new laws aimed at bolstering privacy protections for citizens and imposing stricter data security requirements on small businesses. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has expressed concerns about the current trend of Australians mindlessly accepting lengthy and convoluted privacy policies without thoroughly reviewing the associated disclaimers. To address these issues, the proposed reforms include safeguards against “dark patterns” that manipulate users into granting excessive privacy permissions. University of Technology academic Kate Bower views these reforms as a positive step, emphasizing the urgency of protecting Australians from potential privacy breaches resulting from advanced technologies. One significant aspect of these legislative changes is the potential introduction of a right for Australians to have their personal data erased, although this right would not override existing legal obligations such as the retention of identification and criminal records. Additionally, the government is contemplating a ban on targeted marketing based on sensitive information unless it can be deemed socially beneficial. Children are also set to benefit from enhanced privacy protections. Entities would be prohibited from directly marketing to children and trading their personal information, with the implementation of a children’s online privacy code ensuring that their best interests are always taken into account. Small businesses may no longer enjoy exemptions from privacy obligations applicable to large corporations, potentially necessitating increased investments in safeguarding personal information and the mandatory notification