4 ms·

The article linked in the article about how to dodge these new laws has some particularly asinine advice: http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/03/australian

The article linked in the article about how to dodge these new laws has some particularly asinine advice: http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/03/australian-government-minister-dodge-new-data-retention-law-like-this/ http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/03/australian-govern... The guy says "just use skype" because then the telco doesn't know who you're calling, just that you called skype. Sure, because there's NO POSSIBLE WAY for Skype to get a subpoena, right?

jdub 12y ago
"The guy" is the Minister for Communications. :-) (He's not directly responsible for the law, as it is in the purview of the Attorney General, but the Minister for Communications is a minister of the government.)
nl 12y ago
Sure, because there's NO POSSIBLE WAY for Skype to get a subpoena, right? But that's exactly the point!! Subpoenas and warrants require due process and probable cause (especially in the case of Skype, which is cross borders). The data retention regime - for the most part - removes that and requires nothing more than a (possibly automated) request.
- msandford 12y ago
  There's an easy fix for that. "We have classified your service (Skype, whatever) as 'telecommunications' and unless you give us this stuff without a warrant we're going to start arresting your folks in-country and work on extraditing your executives" Due process averted.
  - nl 12y ago
    Yeah, except we (Australia) never, ever try to exert any power over a US based company. (Actually, Skype would be under the telecommunications act if they were Australian anyway. See http://www.alrc.gov.au/publications/9.%20Overview%3A%20Impact%20of%20Developing%20Technology%20on%20Privacy/voice-over-internet-protocol http://www.alrc.gov.au/publications/9.%20Overview%3A%20Impac...)
verytrivial 12y ago
Skype is not a problem: they rolled over about a decade ago http://happygiraffe.net/blog/2006/09/25/skype-is-watching-you/ http://happygiraffe.net/blog/2006/09/25/skype-is-watching-yo...

jdub 12y ago

"The guy" is the Minister for Communications. :-) (He's not directly responsible for the law, as it is in the purview of the Attorney General, but the Minister for Communications is a minister of the government.)

nl 12y ago

Sure, because there's NO POSSIBLE WAY for Skype to get a subpoena, right? But that's exactly the point!! Subpoenas and warrants require due process and probable cause (especially in the case of Skype, which is cross borders). The data retention regime - for the most part - removes that and requires nothing more than a (possibly automated) request.

msandford 12y ago
There's an easy fix for that. "We have classified your service (Skype, whatever) as 'telecommunications' and unless you give us this stuff without a warrant we're going to start arresting your folks in-country and work on extraditing your executives" Due process averted.
- nl 12y ago
  Yeah, except we (Australia) never, ever try to exert any power over a US based company. (Actually, Skype would be under the telecommunications act if they were Australian anyway. See http://www.alrc.gov.au/publications/9.%20Overview%3A%20Impact%20of%20Developing%20Technology%20on%20Privacy/voice-over-internet-protocol http://www.alrc.gov.au/publications/9.%20Overview%3A%20Impac...)

verytrivial 12y ago

Skype is not a problem: they rolled over about a decade ago http://happygiraffe.net/blog/2006/09/25/skype-is-watching-you/ http://happygiraffe.net/blog/2006/09/25/skype-is-watching-yo...