Culture

People Are CCing George Brandis Into All Their Emails Because Data Retention Means He’ll Read Them Anyway

Saves time.

by Alex McKinnon  2 March 2015

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Despite public opposition, no evidence of similar policies working anywhere in the world, major questions on cost, precise scope of powers and human rights implications going unanswered, and the government’s own Communications Minister on the record describing it as a terrible idea, it looks like the government’s controversial data retention proposal is going to go ahead. The plan to force telcos to retain all their customer’s metadata for two years because Freedom or something all but got the green light last week after the Labor Party signalled their support. When considering the legislation, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten briefly thought about doing his job before going “aaah, go on, then”.

Understandably, people are a bit miffed at the prospect of government agencies getting unrestricted access to their private information without a warrant, and have begun venting their frustration in novel and enterprising ways. A Beyond Green campaign called “Curious George” is encouraging people to cut out the expensive and cumbersome data-retention middleman by cc’ing Attorney-General/DJ George Brandis in on all their emails, texts and other Information Superhighway e-messages. The results have started cropping up online, and they are absolutely wonderful.

Let me be clear: Junkee in no way endorses or encourages readers to CC Attorney-General George Brandis in on random emails, or send him dumb stuff for the lols. On a completely unrelated note, George Brandis’ work email is [email protected] if you want to send him your expressions of sympathy during this difficult time.

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