Report reveals Aussies' data are shared without their consent and exposed to scammers
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In the digital age, our personal information is more than just a name and address; it's a goldmine for advertisers and, unfortunately, for scammers, too.
A recent report has spotlighted a concerning trend that not only breaches privacy but also exposes individuals to targeted scams, creating a hidden security crisis that affects us all.
Reset Tech's investigation, using data from the Irish Council of Civil Liberties, revealed that private data of share Australians' private data are being shared without their consent, hundreds of times a day through online ad-tracking systems.
Australians' live location data, along with other sensitive information, is auctioned off to the highest bidder every time they open a website or app that contains ads.
This real-time bidding (RTB) system is a sophisticated marketplace where advertisers vie for ad space and, in the process, collect and distribute masses of consumer data.
The implications of this are staggering. The report uncovered that Australians' ‘extraordinarily sensitive information’, including details about their movements, sexual interests, financial concerns, and even personal problems, is being exposed to hundreds of unknown third-party actors.
This data is then copied, categorised, and resold, creating profiles that are alarmingly detailed.
For instance, companies can identify individuals who overeat due to stress or those who get a thrill from shopping.
The report found one company had 17,500 unique data categories about Australians for sale.
What's more concerning is that there are currently no limits on how this sensitive information is used in Australia.
Residents' private information can be sold to scammers and foreign state actors, who can then use it to craft personalised scam ads that appear to be from legitimate service providers like banks or telcos.
Alice Hawkins, Executive Director of Real Tech, emphasised the lack of transparency in these transactions.
‘We don’t know who buys it and we don’t know what happens to the data after it is initially released and put on offer,’ she said.
‘There’s no way of knowing or controlling these data flows once they’ve been exposed through the RTB process.’
‘The ad tech industry talk about the data being anonymous or anonymised, and the narrative of anonymous ads, which I just find so extraordinary,’ she continued.
‘It’s the ad tech industries version of greenwashing.’
‘The whole point of the detail in these datasets is so you can target a person with ads relevant to them, such as through a cookie ID or a browser ID.’
The Australian parliament is being urged to set clearer expectations on what types of data are protected and to establish a useful framework for businesses that handle, process, collect, and trade Australian’s data.
The Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024, introduced by Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, aims to better protect Australians' privacy.
‘The Albanese Government’s landmark legislation now before the parliament will strengthen privacy protections for all Australians, including a statutory tort for serious invasions of privacy, targeted criminal offences to respond to doxxing and enable the development of a Children’s Online Privacy Code,’ they said.
‘This legislation is just the first stage of the Government’s commitment to providing individuals with greater control over their personal information.’
Chandni Gupta, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Consumer Police Research Centre, argued that Australians deserve privacy protections centred around people, not profit.
‘It is time for the Federal Government to modernise what it means to be identifiable to cover data points obtained from any source and by any means,’ he said.
‘It must put the onus on businesses by imposing clear obligations on collecting, sharing and using consumer data that leads to fair and safe outcomes for Australians.’
What steps have you taken to safeguard your personal information online? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below!
A recent report has spotlighted a concerning trend that not only breaches privacy but also exposes individuals to targeted scams, creating a hidden security crisis that affects us all.
Reset Tech's investigation, using data from the Irish Council of Civil Liberties, revealed that private data of share Australians' private data are being shared without their consent, hundreds of times a day through online ad-tracking systems.
Australians' live location data, along with other sensitive information, is auctioned off to the highest bidder every time they open a website or app that contains ads.
A report revealed that Aussies' data are being shared without their consent. Credit: Shutterstock
This real-time bidding (RTB) system is a sophisticated marketplace where advertisers vie for ad space and, in the process, collect and distribute masses of consumer data.
The implications of this are staggering. The report uncovered that Australians' ‘extraordinarily sensitive information’, including details about their movements, sexual interests, financial concerns, and even personal problems, is being exposed to hundreds of unknown third-party actors.
This data is then copied, categorised, and resold, creating profiles that are alarmingly detailed.
For instance, companies can identify individuals who overeat due to stress or those who get a thrill from shopping.
The report found one company had 17,500 unique data categories about Australians for sale.
What's more concerning is that there are currently no limits on how this sensitive information is used in Australia.
Residents' private information can be sold to scammers and foreign state actors, who can then use it to craft personalised scam ads that appear to be from legitimate service providers like banks or telcos.
Alice Hawkins, Executive Director of Real Tech, emphasised the lack of transparency in these transactions.
‘We don’t know who buys it and we don’t know what happens to the data after it is initially released and put on offer,’ she said.
‘There’s no way of knowing or controlling these data flows once they’ve been exposed through the RTB process.’
‘The ad tech industry talk about the data being anonymous or anonymised, and the narrative of anonymous ads, which I just find so extraordinary,’ she continued.
‘It’s the ad tech industries version of greenwashing.’
‘The whole point of the detail in these datasets is so you can target a person with ads relevant to them, such as through a cookie ID or a browser ID.’
The Australian parliament is being urged to set clearer expectations on what types of data are protected and to establish a useful framework for businesses that handle, process, collect, and trade Australian’s data.
The Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024, introduced by Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, aims to better protect Australians' privacy.
‘The Albanese Government’s landmark legislation now before the parliament will strengthen privacy protections for all Australians, including a statutory tort for serious invasions of privacy, targeted criminal offences to respond to doxxing and enable the development of a Children’s Online Privacy Code,’ they said.
‘This legislation is just the first stage of the Government’s commitment to providing individuals with greater control over their personal information.’
Chandni Gupta, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Consumer Police Research Centre, argued that Australians deserve privacy protections centred around people, not profit.
‘It is time for the Federal Government to modernise what it means to be identifiable to cover data points obtained from any source and by any means,’ he said.
‘It must put the onus on businesses by imposing clear obligations on collecting, sharing and using consumer data that leads to fair and safe outcomes for Australians.’
