Federal political sources downplayed the seriousness of the issue, believing the issue was not related to a data leak or breach.
Sources noted the private contact information for politicians was often already widely available and known by stakeholders and members of the public they had interacted with. Some pointed out that politicians often kept the same contact details for years, from when they were more junior politicians who freely distributed their numbers on public documents like press releases or community announcements.
Considering how many fucking times i get unsolicited and unwanted political calls and texts i can never block, never report and never get off the list of, my sympathy is non-existent
I hate how there’s only mention of removing their numbers from the AFP.
Why do we allow these lists and practices to exist in the first place?
It’s high time we actually start regulating data collection and use to something resembling common sense, and not allow anyone to “consent-wall” their services behind terms and conditions that allow for inappropriate collection and use of data.
I shouldn’t have to agree to marketing messages when I order dinner via a QR menu. I shouldn’t have to give Meta access to all my contact in order to use WhatsApp (I don’t, by using a work profile with no contacts on it, but this is a workaround), etc.
Time for some reason consumer protections made for the modern age, and not this silly tinkering around the edges with having them disclose how they use your data, maybe, with barely any consequences when they lose it all (see, Optus and other companies, many, many times).
Where are the fines? Where are the regulations?
I’m sick of this.
Legally you shouldn’t. Privacy act actually says that data requested should only be of the kind " reasonably necessary for a function or activity." So no, you don’t have to give your mobile or email to buy a fucking toaster or burger.
People and companies are just woefully fucken ignorant and don’t enforce or complain. I’ve gotten into it with a few sales reps who have been shittily snarky at me not giving them my post code or mobile just because i wanted a fucking jaffle
Well, when the regulator goes “have you complained to the company yet??m” as a standard first step before you can make a report, you know nothing is getting enforced.
Optus, for example, has gotten extremely small fines.
Nothing is going to change unless the cost is higher than the profit.
We as individual consumers can do very little by ourselves.
You don’t “have to” but you often do, if you don’t want to make your life a pain in the arse.
It’s basically take it or leave it. And I just don’t think that’s good enough.
