Power up your privacy
Find out what you can do to enhance privacy protections
Privacy Awareness Week 2024 ran from 6-12 May, but any time is a good time to learn more about privacy.
This website provides a great resource to help you consider what you can do to ‘power up’ privacy, either for yourself or in your business, organisation or agency.
This year’s Privacy Awareness Week theme focused on privacy and technology and the key principles of transparency, accountability and security. Find out what they mean for you!
Privacy in Australia
Privacy is protected in Australia, and internationally, with a range of laws.
The core privacy principles and rights they set out hold true both for the technology of yesterday, and the technology of tomorrow.
Developments in technology, including artificial intelligence, facial recognition technology and the study and sharing of genetic data, as well as the use of analytics, social media, and our ever-present devices, all require us to more actively think about our privacy and how our personal information is protected.
But regardless of the product, the same fundamental privacy principles apply when your personal information is involved.
The Australian Government has committed to strengthening the Australian privacy framework with updates to the Privacy Act.
Now is the ideal time for organisations and government agencies to ‘power up’ their existing privacy practices and culture in advance of privacy law reform.
With cyber attacks and data breaches firmly a part of today’s risk landscape, it’s also the perfect time to find out more about your privacy rights under the Privacy Act.
Privacy news and insights
Australian Community Attitudes to Privacy Survey (ACAPS)
Our 2023 ACAPS survey cast a spotlight on what Australians think about privacy, including what privacy rights they seek, what response they want from organisations in the case of a breach, and their attitudes to digital technology.
Spotlight on Notifiable Data Breaches
Our 6-monthly notifiable data breaches reports provide useful insights into the leading sources of data breaches, including learnings and emerging trends. See which sectors are most impacted, the main sources of breaches, and our recommendations for information and data governance.
Review of the Privacy Act
Changes are coming to the Privacy Act to ensure it remains fit-for-purpose in the digital age. That means more choice and control over how your personal information is collected and used. The changes will also help businesses and other organisations, as well as Australian government agencies, improve their privacy practices, and build trust.
Joint statement for Privacy Awareness Week
Privacy regulators from across Australia have issued a joint statement to mark the start of Privacy Awareness Week 2024 (6 to 12 May). While developments in technology continue to evolve and challenge privacy practices, Australian regulators stress that fundamental privacy principles apply when personal information is involved.
Commissioner's speech at the Privacy by Design Awards
Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind discussed what privacy by design looks like and why privacy is about power, at the Privacy by Design Awards hosted by CyberCX and the Tech Council of Australia Privacy by Design Awards on 2 May 2024. Among other areas, her speech highlighted that technology should be deployed in the pursuit of societal objectives, and not the other way around.
ABC interview with Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind
Read the transcript of Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind’s radio interview with Patricia Karvelas on ABC RN Breakfast on Wednesday 8 May 2024. She discusses the Federal Government's proposed updates to the Privacy Act, the concentration of power in large technology companies, and the role of the OAIC.
IAPP Sydney KnowledgeNet May 2024
Read the keynotes address prepared for delivery by Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind for the IAPP Sydney KnowledgeNet event on Monday 6 May 2024, 'How to power up a privacy program for emerging and evolving technologies'.
From the Commissioner
Carly Kind
Australian Privacy Commissioner
We are at a critical and exciting time. The ‘information superhighway’ that was spoken of in the 1980s and 1990s has evolved into a complex digital ecosystem filled with data – much of it personal.
The use of personal data to deliver services, connect individuals, and enable us to share and learn can deliver benefits, but it is often at our cost when our rights are not protected, or our information is compromised.
Promising advances and innovations need to be tempered with responsible practices. Regulations and laws set the guardrails, but everyone has a role to play in supporting and upholding good privacy practices.
While individuals can all do our bit by having sound personal data practices, the biggest onus is on businesses and other organisations that hold data to make the right decisions to adequately protect and respect it, and not collect or keep what is not needed.
This Privacy Awareness Week I am calling on organisations to help us all power up privacy by enhancing transparency, accountability and security.
Events for Privacy Awareness Week
Privacy by Design Awards
This event has now been held
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus and Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind will join other speakers at the Privacy by Design Awards hosted by CyberCX and the Tech Council of Australia.
IAPP Privacy Awareness Week launch
This event has now been held
The International Association of Privacy Professionals will be kicking off this Privacy Awareness Week with a KnowledgeNet session in Sydney: How to Power up a Privacy Program for Emerging and Evolving Technologies. It will include a keynote from Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind, and panel session.
OVIC PAW launch
This event has now been held
OVIC is commencing its PAW celebrations with an in-person launch event held at Parliament House.
Victoria’s new Information Commissioner, Sean Morrison, will address attendees and be joined by a special guest speaker (to be announced).
Morning tea will follow the formalities. This event will not be live-streamed, but will be recorded and published on OVIC’s Vimeo channel following the event.
Become a PAW supporter
Sign up your organisation today as a supporter of Privacy Awareness Week (PAW) 2024 to help show your commitment to best practice in privacy. Supporters will get access to our toolkit, and can opt to be listed on the website. Join us and help to power up privacy!