The OAIC’s January to June 2025 Data Breach Report & New Dashboard
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) released its Data Breach Report for January......
11 November, 2025
Privacy 108’s Australian Privacy Jobs Report Q3 2025
Privacy 108’s quarterly jobs report for July-September 2025 is now live. The theme for the......
30 October, 2025
OAIC Finds Kmart’s use of Facial Recognition Unlawful
In mid-September, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) published a decision that found......
28 October, 2025
Australia’s First Civil Penalty For Privacy Act Breach: ACL To Pay $5.8 Million
Last week, the federal court ordered that Australian Clinical Labs Limited (ACL) pay a $5.8......
15 October, 2025
Limits on the Employee Record Exemption in the Privacy Act
A recent Determination issued by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) looks at......
15 October, 2025
European guidance on ‘pseudonymisation’: Some practical tips for Australian organisations
Done properly, pseudonymisation supports useful data processing – including the use of data for analytics,......
29 September, 2025
Australia’s Statutory Tort for Breach of Privacy: Not Just for APP-Covered Entities
Australia’s new statutory tort for breach of privacy came into effect on 10 June 2025......
28 September, 2025
Privacy 108’s Australian Privacy Jobs Report Q2 2025
Privacy 108’s quarterly jobs report for April – June 2025 is now live. The following......
21 September, 2025
Shadow AI: The Hidden AI Revolution in Your Workplace
Organisations worldwide are experiencing a rise in unauthorised AI adoption by employees and agents as......
15 September, 2025
Useful AI Governance Resources For Australian Businesses
There has been a huge increase in the number of people ‘sneaking’ Artificial Intelligence (AI)......
12 September, 2025
The OAIC’s Lawsuit Against Optus is a Warning For Australian Corporations to Secure Data
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) has commenced proceedings against Optus in the......
29 August, 2025
5 Common Myths About Privacy in Australia
Privacy can be complex, so it’s not surprising there are so many myths that circulate......
16 August, 2025
The OAIC and I-MED / Harrison.AI: What it tells us about de-identification
The OAIC has closed its inquiry into the I-MED / Harrison.ai use of health-related data......
13 August, 2025
UK’s Data Use and Access Act 2025: What It Means for Organisations
On 19 June 2025, the UK Parliament enacted the Data Use and Access Act 2025......
08 August, 2025
The OAIC’s Privacy Foundations Self-Assessment Tool: Pros, Cons, and Our Review
Last month, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) released a self-assessment tool for......
29 July, 2025
Mastering the CIPM Exam: A Comprehensive Guide
Privacy 108 has proudly served as an IAPP educational partner since 2017, with the CIPM......
25 July, 2025
Embracing Human-Centric Privacy: Some tips for Privacy Professionals
As privacy laws evolve, organisations are moving to lift their understanding of the importance of......
24 July, 2025
What’s Happening with the EU AI Act: A 2025 Update
Europe’s AI Act is the first-of-its-kind legislation governing AI systems and, from August 2025, some......
23 July, 2025
Five Core Elements of a Successful Privacy Program
At Privacy 108, we’ve spent decades helping organisations grapple with challenges that come with the......
30 June, 2025
Privacy Policy Readability Assessment Checklist
There are three key elements that determine how easily your audience is able to interpret......
17 June, 2025
Privacy Jobs in Australia: Who are the employers and what are they looking for?
Is there a privacy skills shortage in Australia? Privacy 108 is taking a deeper look......
17 June, 2025
Practical Tips for Getting Started with Privacy By Design [Downloadable]
Privacy by Design embeds privacy into business processes, ensuring ethical, compliant, and transparent data practices.......
12 June, 2025
Privacy 108’s 2025 Q1 Privacy Jobs in Australia Report
In Q1 2025, the number of job ads increased marginally after a marked drop in......
12 June, 2025
Not-For-Profit Donor Data & Privacy: Key Considerations from the Australian Perspective
Fundraising is essential for the survival and impact of not-for-profit (NFP) organisations, but it must......
08 June, 2025
Is Australia Facing a Privacy Skills Shortage? The Numbers May Surprise You
Is there a privacy skills shortage in Australia? Many privacy professionals would say ‘yes’ –......
29 May, 2025
Understanding Australia’s Privacy Skills Shortage
Leading Australian privacy professional Dr. Jodie Siganto from Privacy 108 facilitated an insightful panel discussion......
29 May, 2025
New Guidance on AI and Board Meetings and Minutes: Use with Caution
Ever been in an on-line meeting with otter.ai and wondered what’s going on? The growing......
26 May, 2025
Managing Vendor Privacy Risk: A Guide to Third-Party Suppliers & Privacy [Ebook Download]
We recently published our comprehensive guide to managing vendor privacy risk in 2025. The 17-page......
24 May, 2025
5 Tips for Enhancing Privacy Controls on Your Mobile Phone
Mobile phones have become an integral part of our daily lives, storing vast amounts of......
23 May, 2025
Key Takeaways From 4 Recent OAIC Determinations
Earlier in 2025, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) released four determinations covering......
20 May, 2025
Action Items From The OAIC Data Breach Report: July – December 2024 Edition
Well, the Office of the Australian Privacy Commissioner (OAIC) finally dropped its biannual data breach......
15 May, 2025
Key Takeaways from Three Recent Influential Privacy Reports
What can we learn from three recent reports into the state of privacy and cyber......
08 May, 2025
Should Your Organisation/Department Use Digital ID Verification?
Trust is a currency when it comes to online transactions, and digital verification systems are......
29 April, 2025
Securing Executive Buy-In For Your Privacy Program
Recent research paints a picture of the Australian privacy landscape where undersized and underfunded teams......
24 April, 2025
Qld IPOLA is Coming, So What Do You Need To Do?
If you don’t know what IPOLA refers to, this post may not be for you.......
30 March, 2025
OAIC Accepts Enforceable Undertaking From Oxfam
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) recently accepted an enforceable undertaking from Oxfam,......
27 March, 2025
How To Reduce The Risk Of Your Team Sending Personal Information to The Wrong Person
We know that human error breaches are one of the largest causes of data breaches......
27 March, 2025
ASIC v FIIG … Another cyber security case
Cybersecurity remains a critical concern for financial institutions, and Australian regulators are taking a firm......
21 March, 2025
Collecting Information From The Internet: Some Learnings
Organisations are collecting more and more data in today’s digital economy, and it can often......
14 March, 2025
Privacy 108’s 2024 Privacy Jobs in Australia Report
In 2024, the Australian privacy job market experienced a slight decline in job postings. Government......
27 February, 2025
Training AI With Personal Information – Important Considerations
There was a flurry of activity about the training of large language models in Europe......
26 February, 2025
Children’s Privacy in Australia: Risks, Laws, and Best Practices
We know changes are coming to children’s privacy in Australia. But we don’t know exactly......
10 February, 2025
Biggest GDPR Fines in 2024: Key Takeaways for Australian Organisations
Penalties in Europe might look relatively tame in 2024 compared to earlier years. The largest......
29 January, 2025
5 Developments in Australian Privacy To Keep An Eye On This Year
Late last year, our team got together to discuss the privacy happenings in 2024 and......
29 January, 2025
Understanding India’s Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA) Rules: Key Insights
The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDPA) – India’s new, comprehensive privacy law –......
15 January, 2025
IAPP Privacy Governance Report 2024: Key Takeaways from an Australian Perspective
In November 2024, the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) published its annual Privacy Governance......
11 January, 2025
Themes and Trends in Privacy and Security in 2024
As 2024 draws to a close, our team got together to reflect on the state......
22 December, 2024
OAIC and Facebook’s Enforceable Undertaking … Kind Of Good News??
This week, Meta (Facebook) and OAIC announced they had agreed to an enforceable undertaking (EU),......
20 December, 2024
5 Reasons You Should Offer Organisation-Wide Privacy Training
Organisation-wide privacy training should be a no-brainer: it’s in the top messages from all regulators......
19 December, 2024
Privacy Act Tranche 1 Amendments Finally Passed
The long-awaited amendments to the Australian Privacy Act were pushed through on 29 November 2024......
15 December, 2024
Deidentification Expectations in AI: A Refined Perspective
In October 2024, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) released two significant guides......
04 December, 2024
About The Bunnings Privacy Decision: CCTV and Facial Recognition Technology Are A Potent Mix
Combining CCTV with facial recognition technology is a new-ish technology that has slipped under the......
28 November, 2024
Yes, You Can Face Legal Consequences For (Mis)Using Generative AI
In 2023, Brian Hood (an Australian mayor) made headlines for what was going to be......
28 November, 2024
Where Are We With The Privacy Act Reforms? A November 2024 Update
If you’re curious about the status of the first tranche of Privacy Act reforms, here’s......
21 November, 2024
More OAIC Guidance… This Time On Pixels
The privacy issues associated with the use of cookies in Australia has arguably been unclear......
20 November, 2024
Privacy Jobs in Australia: July – September 2024 Report on Earnings, Positions, and Other KPIs
From July to September 2024, privacy job advertisements saw a significant increase, with a total......
14 November, 2024
New OAIC Guidance On Privacy For Not-For-Profits
In October 2024, Australia’s OAIC released updated privacy guidance for charities and other not-for-profit organisations. ......
10 November, 2024
Is It A Privacy Violation To Send A Work Email Celebrating Someone’s Birthday?
You’ve worked there before. The company where you get cupcakes every time it’s someone’s birthday,......
04 November, 2024
The OAIC’s New AI Guidance Explained
This month the OAIC released 2 new guides on artificial intelligence (AI) for organisations for......
31 October, 2024
I-MED’s Data Headache: Unauthorised Access & Unauthorised Disclosure Double Whammy
The last ten days of September were tough for Australia’s largest medical imaging provider, I-MED.......
24 October, 2024
The EU’s AI Act & Its Impact on Australia
Earlier this year, the European Union enacted the world’s first AI Act – and the......
22 October, 2024
Shelley’s Guide to Acing the IAPP CIPT Exam
If you’re considering a career in privacy and data protection, or if you’re an existing......
18 October, 2024
Overcoming Common Obstacles to Data Minimisation: Challenges and Solutions
Data minimisation is a fundamental privacy principle, promoting the collection, processing, and retention of only......
17 October, 2024
New Cyber Security Regulation for Australia
Draft new cyber security bills were released this month. The purpose of the new laws......
15 October, 2024
How Organisations Should Prepare For The Proposed Privacy Law Reforms
On Thursday 12 September 2024, the Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 (Bill) was......
22 September, 2024
Lessons From The OAIC Data Breach Report: Jan–June 2024
The January to June 2024 Data Breach Report from the Office of the Australian Information......
18 September, 2024
Even With The Proposed Privacy Act Changes, We Are Not There Yet
After nearly five years of discussion, the much-anticipated Privacy Act changes were introduced into Parliament......
17 September, 2024
Privacy 108 Achieves ISO 27001 Certification: Phew!
We are thrilled to announce that Privacy 108 has achieved ISO 27001 certification, a prestigious......
12 September, 2024
Managing Personal Information Shared By Email
Human error data breaches through email are extremely common. The convenience, familiarity, and relative informality......
12 September, 2024
AI guardrails proposed for Australia
The Australian Federal Government announced in September 2024 that it will release ten mandatory AI......
11 September, 2024
Data Hoarding: Addressing the Behavioural and Cultural Challenges of Data Minimisation
We all know about hoarders – but what about data hoarders? Is it a ‘thing’......
04 September, 2024
Cal Newport’s Digital Minimalism and Personal Privacy: Incredible Parallels
Cal Newport’s book Digital Minimalism discusses the benefits of focusing on a small number of......
25 August, 2024
How Far Does The Privacy Act Employee Record Exemption Go?
Employee records of current or former private sector employees are exempt from the Australian Privacy......
22 August, 2024
Lessons From CrowdStrike’s Incident Communications
On July 19, 2024, we saw a major global IT outage caused by a faulty......
21 August, 2024
Understanding The Data Management Ecosystem
Understanding and managing your data is becoming a fundamental piece of any privacy compliance program.......
08 August, 2024
Considerations For Creating Your Data Retention Strategy
The last few years have seen a shift from data being the new oil to......
07 August, 2024
Resources To Help You Prepare For The CIPPE Certification
The CIPP/E certification is becoming increasingly popular. It is a great way to demonstrate your......
27 July, 2024
Buyer Beware: Managing The Risks of Data From Data Brokers
Data brokers play a significant (and extremely personal information-intensive) role in Australia’s business ecosystem. However,......
26 July, 2024
Spam Snafu? Here’s What To Do In The Aftermath of Accidental Spam
The Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA) recently announced its 2024-2025 enforcement priorities and plans......
24 July, 2024
Privacy Jobs Report: April – June 2024
Our report on privacy jobs advertised in Australia between January and March 2024 is now available.......
17 July, 2024
Cyber Security For Boards: Governance Principles To Consider
Cyber security is a key concern for almost every board member. But how best should......
16 July, 2024
Deep Dive: ISO 29100 – Privacy Framework
ISO 29100 Privacy Framework is a standard all privacy practitioners should be aware of. Substantially......
12 July, 2024
Some Privacy-Related ISO Standards You Might Not Know
There are privacy-related ISO standards, old and new, that can help in developing and improving......
27 June, 2024
Understanding Multi-Factor Authentication
In October 2022, Medibank suffered a severe breach, affecting 9.7 million people. It is alleged......
26 June, 2024
Understanding The OAIC Action Against Medibank: A Guide For Australian Organisations
This week, headlines focused on the potential for a $21 trillion penalty against Medibank for......
12 June, 2024
European Data Protection Cases You Should Know About
If you’re taking the CIPP/E or just interested in how European and EU data protection......
29 May, 2024
Paw 2024 Wrap Up: Key Lessons From Privacy Awareness Week
Australia’s Privacy Awareness Week wrapped up on 12 May, but the components of its theme,......
26 May, 2024
Data Breach Reporting Obligations in Australia: Lessons from Recent Determinations
We’ve analysed two determinations from the Australian Information Commissioner relating to data breach reporting and......
15 May, 2024
AI Impact Assessment Form: Downloadable
We have prepared this Template as an example AI impact assessment form that can be......
07 May, 2024
Privacy Considerations For Marketing Teams in Australia (Downloadable)
We’ve prepared this guide for personnel who engage in direct marketing activities, particularly those who......
07 May, 2024
Privacy Jobs Report: January – March 2024
Privacy 108 monitors and reports on privacy jobs advertised in Australia. We’ve tracked the number,......
01 May, 2024
Privacy Act Changes To Support Greater Transparency
What will the proposed changes to Australia’s Privacy Act mean for transparency? For Privacy Awareness......
01 May, 2024
Privacy Starts With Transparency: Privacy Awareness Week 2024
For Privacy Awareness Week 2024 (from 6-12 May 2024), organisations are being asked to ‘power......
30 April, 2024
Some Lessons from OAIC v Serco
The OAIC’s determination in a recent case involving Serco and the systems it used in......
11 April, 2024
Australia’s New Digital Identity Legislation Passed: Is That a Good Thing?
Australia’s Digital ID Bill passed on Mar 28, 2024. Our new ID system is designed......
08 April, 2024
The Latest on Cyber Security Regulation in Australia
Consultation on the latest proposals for cyber security regulation in Australia has now closed. What......
28 March, 2024
GDPR Enforcement Themes & Takeaways for Australian Organisations
Australia’s privacy law landscape doesn’t grant the same rights individuals resident in the EU and......
27 March, 2024
Data Minimisation: A Privacy Professional’s Guide to Slimming Down Your Data
You know you need to do it, but the data minimization project is overwhelming. You......
19 March, 2024
What’s happening with the Medibank data breach litigation?
News this week was that Medibank failed in its bid to stop the OAIC investigations......
12 March, 2024
Privacy UX: Balancing User Privacy with Business Growth
Balancing user privacy with business growth isn’t always easy. Enter Privacy UX (shorthand for ‘privacy......
08 March, 2024
OAIC Data Breach Report: July – December 2023
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) has released its latest Notifiable Data Breaches......
01 March, 2024
Defining and Managing Privacy Risks: Frameworks That Work
Australia’s privacy risk management landscape is being shaped by increasing visibility of data breaches, penalties,......
28 February, 2024
5 Reasons To Get Your CIPP/E Certification
Thinking of sitting for the CIPP/E? Here are 5 good reasons to get your CIPP/E......
19 February, 2024
Cybersecurity Regulations in Europe: What’s Happening – & What’s Coming?
Things are changing quickly in cybersecurity regulation in Europe. Here’s a list of the existing......
30 January, 2024
Privacy Jobs Report: July – December 2023
Privacy 108 monitors and reports on privacy jobs advertised in Australia. We’ve tracked the number,......
30 January, 2024
Privacy Impact Assessment Triggers: When Should You Do a PIA?
Privacy Impact Assessments are a powerful and often overlooked tool. They’re a compliance requirement, in......
28 January, 2024
Privacy 108’s Top Ten Blog Posts in 2023
In case you missed them, we’ve compiled the most popular posts we published in 2023.......
29 December, 2023
AI Anyone? 2023 Reflections from the Privacy Perspective
As the end of 2023 approaches (thank goodness say some!), let’s reflect on some of......
29 December, 2023
Most Common Privacy Failures at Organisations (and How to Overcome Them)
ISACA’s 2023 Privacy in Practice report included a list of the most common privacy failures......
24 December, 2023
Maintaining Your Data Inventory: High-Level Tips for Keeping Yours Up to Date
Creating a complete data inventory is one thing – but supporting it over time is......
14 December, 2023
ASIC Raising the Bar on Cyber Security
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) is ramping up its emphasis on cybersecurity with......
12 December, 2023
Australian Privacy Jobs Report – Jan to Jun 2023
Privacy 108’s report on privacy jobs advertised in Australia between January and June 2023 is......
04 December, 2023
After The Ink Dries: Monitoring Third Parties You Share Personal Information with Beyond Due Diligence
Third-party vendor management extends far beyond the initial signing of your contract. It’s an ongoing......
30 November, 2023
The Webs We Weave: Building Stronger Cross-Functional Privacy Practices
In February 2023, a hacker used an SMS phishing scheme on a HR employee in......
24 November, 2023
No legal professional privilege for Deloitte forensic report in Optus data breach litigation
Optus has lost a bid in the Australian federal court to keep secret a Deloitte......
19 November, 2023
OAIC sues ACL for security failure
In November 2023, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) announced the commencement of......
16 November, 2023
CIPPE 2023 Update: Here’s What Changed
Things are changing fast in European privacy! We don’t typically see annual updates by the......
15 November, 2023
Data Tagging: Best Practices, Security & Implementation Tips
Data tagging helps businesses enhance data security, improve data governance, and better manage data and......
14 November, 2023
Queensland’s Data Breach Notification Scheme for Government Agencies
Queensland looks to join NSW as the only other Australian state with a mandatory data......
01 November, 2023
Persevering Progress: Privacy Act ‘Accountability’ Reforms
Earlier this year, we provided an update on the privacy reform proposals related to ‘accountability’......
27 October, 2023
Cyber security regulation in Australia: What’s the current status?
Will Australia be getting a Cyber Security Act any time soon? The cyber security regulatory......
27 October, 2023
GoodSAM Privacy Risks: The Briefing Speaks with Dr Jodie Siganto
Privacy 108 Founder Dr Jodie Siganto recently appeared on The Briefing to discuss the GoodSam......
27 October, 2023
The 2023 Updated CIPT Body of Knowledge: What Has Changed?
Privacy for technologists is a rapidly developing field. The IAPP’s CIPT Body of Knowledge has......
21 October, 2023
Data Catalogues: The Unsung Heroes of Organisational Privacy
Data catalogues provide a unified and searchable view of an organisation’s data and data sources.......
13 October, 2023
Privacy Act changes … still more thinking to be done?
Changes to the Privacy Act changes have been been flagged in the Australian Government’s response......
10 October, 2023
ChatGPT Wrote This Blog Post: How Could This Affect Organisational Privacy?
“Every technology, including AI like ChatGPT, comes with potential risks and benefits. Balancing innovation with......
06 October, 2023
ACCC fines Meta … two cops on the privacy beat
In July 2023, the Australian Federal Court ordered two subsidiaries of social media giant Meta......
06 October, 2023
OAIC Data Breach Report: January – June 2023
Table of Contents Key Findings in the OAIC’s Data Breach Report: January – June 2023 ......
28 September, 2023
RIP Passwords: Are Passkeys the Future of Account Security?
Passwords are probably the most well-known account security feature that exists today. But they’re problematic.......
28 September, 2023
What To Do If a Third Party Mishandles Data Your Organisation Shared with It
Earlier this year, news broke about a third-party data breach that impacted the personal information......
27 September, 2023
NIST Privacy Framework – 5 Tips for Implementation
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Privacy Framework was developed through a collaborative......
15 September, 2023
Preparing for Complaints After a Privacy Breach in Australia: Legal and Business Tips
Preparing for managing customer complaints after a privacy breach is a critical step in your......
08 September, 2023
Which Privacy Certification is Right for Me?
Privacy skills are in demand. And as the demand grows and the privacy industry matures,......
04 September, 2023
It depends … some findings from Australia’s Attitude to Privacy Survey
Interested in what Australians think about privacy, use of AI and facial recognition and the......
27 August, 2023
Cyber Insurance – Is It Worth It?
Cyber insurance is not just becoming increasingly common, it is also becoming a requirement for......
26 August, 2023
US State Privacy Laws & Australian Organisations: An Update
2023 has brought with it a flurry of activity in terms of privacy legislation in......
24 August, 2023
Privacy and Security in Mobile App Development: Tips to Creating Better Apps
Following the highly-publicised ban of TikTok on government devices, Australians are starting to pay more......
18 August, 2023
Third party service providers: It’s so much more than the contract
Victoria’s privacy watchdog, the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner (OVIC), released a report into how......
11 August, 2023
3 Tips for Talking to Boards About Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity concerns are no longer the domain of the IT department. They permeate every aspect......
10 August, 2023
CIPP/E Domain II: Understanding the GDPR
While Domain I might be the most challenging domain, Domain II in the CIPP/E certification......
08 August, 2023
5 Tips for Managing Third Party Security Risk
It’s rare for an organization to not use at least one third party – whether......
28 July, 2023
Lessons from the HWL Ebsworth Data Breach
The HWL Ebsworth data breach has sent shivers down the spine of every professional consulting......
28 July, 2023
The AFP in trouble again for its use of AI … with no privacy impact assessment
The OAIC are again investigating the Australian Federal Police over AI surveillance concerns, this time......
27 July, 2023
Australia’s AI regulation discussion paper: Late to the party again …
Regulating AI has been on the agenda globally for some time, amid growing concern over......
24 July, 2023
Finally! A new EU-US Data Transfer Framework
After three years of limbo, personal data can flow from the EU to companies in......
12 July, 2023
An Overview of Cybersecurity Certifications in Australia
As the privacy industry matures, we’re seeing more privacy and security jobs seeking professionals who......
10 July, 2023
AI Regulation Around The World
In May, hundreds of AI experts warned that AI (if left unchecked) could pose an......
30 June, 2023
Privacy after death: Time for a re-think?
In Australia, privacy protections don’t apply once you’re dead. What do Kylie Minogue, John Lennon,......
29 June, 2023
Evaluating Privacy: Privacy Metrics to Measure Effectiveness
Evaluating your privacy program helps to allocate and justify resources and budgets, align your privacy......
23 June, 2023
Tips For Developing an Effective Privacy Training Program
What do these scenarios have in common? Images of a woman sitting on a toilet......
16 June, 2023
Emerging Privacy Enhancing Technologies: A Summary of the OECD 2023 PET Report
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published a report on privacy enhancing technologies......
12 June, 2023
Managing ChatGPT and Privacy in Australian Organisations
ChatGPT promises to revolutionise the way we write and work. In late May, Thomson Reuters......
01 June, 2023
Foundations of Privacy: Who Should Take IAPP’s Newest Privacy Training Course
The IAPP announced its new course in September 2022 – Foundations of Privacy. This course......
20 May, 2023
Key Themes from Recent Spam Penalties by ACMA
Sending unsolicited emails, or spam, can not only damage your organisation’s reputation but also land......
19 May, 2023
A new OAIC or back to the future?
This month the Commonwealth Attorney-General, Mark Dreyfus, announced that a stand-alone Australian Privacy Commissioner will......
16 May, 2023
More about dark patterns …
Dark patterns is a subject close to our heart. We’ve written about them before, including:......
09 May, 2023
Increased Accountability Obligations: Privacy Act Review Report Deep Dive Part 4
In February 2023, the Australian Attorney-General released its Privacy Act Review Report 2022 and we......
08 May, 2023
3 Steps to Safeguard Privacy
In the spirit of Privacy Awareness Week 2023, we are sharing 3 tips to safeguard......
07 May, 2023
Organisational Privacy Basics: Privacy Awareness Week 2023
Privacy Awareness Week 2023 runs from May 1 to May 7. To build on this......
28 April, 2023
New Australian Laws Proposed for Direct Marketing, Targeting, & Data Analytics: Privacy Act Review Report Deep Dive Part 3
We’ll continue our deep dive into Australia’s Privacy Act Review report in this article. We......
26 April, 2023
Privacy Awareness Week 2023: Back to basics
Privacy Awareness Week 2023 is May 1 to 7, 2023. This year the theme is......
25 April, 2023
Australia’s New Cyber Security Strategy: Call for submissions
On 8 December 2022, the Minister for Cyber Security, the Hon. Clare O’Neil MP, announced......
20 April, 2023
Ch. Ch. Ch. Changing Definitions in Australian Privacy: Privacy Act Review Deep Dive
We’re continuing our deep dive into the Privacy Act Review Report. You can read our......
18 April, 2023
Responding to Access Requests: Practical Tips to Meet Your Privacy Obligations
Organisations covered by the Australian Privacy Act must provide access to the personal information the......
12 April, 2023
Australian Privacy Jobs Quarterly Report – December 2022
Privacy 108’s report on privacy jobs advertised in Australia in October, November and December 2022......
30 March, 2023
Privacy Act Review: What’s proposed for Security, Data Breach Notification and Retention?
Table of Contents Deep Dive 1: Security, data breach notification and retention Privacy Act Review:......
28 March, 2023
Australia’s First Major Financial Services Provider Breach: Latitude Financial Ransomware Update
Australian financial services provider, Latitude Financial, has announced that it has suffered a data breach......
27 March, 2023
Differential Privacy: Where Maths and Privacy Meet
Differential privacy is a formal mathematical definition of privacy. At its core, implementing differential privacy......
20 March, 2023
Data Management Strategy: No Longer a Nice-to-Have
The importance of organisational data is growing each year. And today, a data management strategy......
11 March, 2023
OAIC Data Breach Report: July – December 2022
Table of Contents Key Findings in the OAIC’s Data Breach Report: July – December 2022 ......
03 March, 2023
Data Inventories: Best Practices & Practical Implementation Tips
An accurate and up-to-date data inventory is the basis of any privacy program. And with......
01 March, 2023
Proposed Privacy Act reforms: Inching closer to a fit for purpose Privacy Act?
On 16 February 2023, the Commonwealth Attorney-General released the Privacy Act Review Report 2022. The......
25 February, 2023
Avoiding Privacy Issues When Recruiting Staff: 10 Practical Tips
When a potential hire sends you their CV, you will likely collect their personal information.......
25 February, 2023
Can You Use Google Analytics in the EU? A Guide for Australian Organisations
In January 2022, Austria became the first EU country to state that the continuous use......
10 February, 2023
Melbourne School Data Breach: Lessons for Handling Credit Card Hacks
Around 400 parents of current and former Mount Lilydale Mercy students were recently alerted to......
03 February, 2023
Privacy Do’s and Don’ts for Australian Websites
The widespread information about website requirements for organisations covered by the GDPR and California Privacy......
27 January, 2023
More on recording conversations in Australia: What is allowed?
Can you record conversations in Australia? This is the most common question we get asked......
25 January, 2023
ISO 31700: New ISO Standard for Privacy by Design
ISO is set to launch a new privacy standard in February: ISO 31700 Privacy by......
24 January, 2023
Online DNA Testing – Solving mysteries and creating new problems?
DNA testing – should we care? You may have seen The Lost King, a fascinating......
23 January, 2023
How Do You Legally Change Your Privacy Policy?
The recent ACCC v Google LLC decision provides useful advice. Google recently defeated an action by......
20 January, 2023
Big data and de-identification: Taking a risk management approach
Big data offers huge benefits: it improves human life with new medical and health solutions......
11 January, 2023
Key Takeaways from TechCrunch’s List of Badly Handled Data Breaches in 2022
TechCrunch recently released its list of the most badly handled data breaches in 2022. Surprisingly......
10 January, 2023
Buying yourself online – an introduction to privacy issues with online DNA testing
A free online webinar on February 8th 2023 by Dr Andelka M. Phillips – Senior......
21 December, 2022
Privacy Issues for Employers Using Biometrics in the Workplace
Biometrics technologies have been developed to help employers accurately track employee attendance and hours, track......
20 December, 2022
Privacy 108’s Top 10 Blog Posts for 2022
We’ve compiled our top ten most-read privacy blog posts for 2022. They’re listed below, starting......
20 December, 2022
Electronic Surveillance Reform in Australia: What can we expect next?
Australia’s regulation of electronic surveillance has been a mess for some time. When it announced......
18 December, 2022
Email Snafu – What to Do If You Send Personal Information to the Wrong Email
The OAIC’s latest reporting shows that 33% of human error data breaches in Australia are......
15 December, 2022
OAIC Data Breach Report January–June 2022: Our Analysis
Table of Contents The OAIC’s Findings in its Data Breach Report January-June 2022 Key Findings......
13 December, 2022
Privacy for Call Centres: Increase Privacy with These 5 Tips
Call centres are hotbeds for the collection – and theft and misuse – of personal......
04 December, 2022
CPRA: New privacy obligations in California to take effect from 1 January 2023
The CPRA (California Privacy Rights Act) is set to change the face of privacy in......
24 November, 2022
Worried about Data Breaches? How Privacy by Design can help
The increase in data breaches has highlighted that organisations are holding onto data, a lot......
24 November, 2022
Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework: A Solution to EU/US Cross Border Data Transfer Issues
It has been some time since we covered data flows between the EU and US.......
17 November, 2022
Questions Boards Should Ask About Cybersecurity
The days of board directors delegating oversight of cybersecurity to department managers are long behind......
10 November, 2022
Privacy Act Amendments: Real deterrent or window dressing?
With Optus and Medibank data breaches affecting over 10 million Australians, many have pointed to......
09 November, 2022
Law Degrees for Privacy Professionals: Must Haves or Nice to Haves?
Candidates with law degrees have been highly sought by employers looking to fill privacy roles......
04 November, 2022
New ISO 27001:2022 released – Finally!
Table of Contents Hot off the press - ISO 27001:2022 has been published! What has......
01 November, 2022
Biometrics in Schools and Privacy Issues: What Could Go Wrong?
Biometric technologies have been making their way into schools for years. It’s not uncommon for......
28 October, 2022
Privacy Act changes proposed … but will they work?
This week the Federal Attorney General introduced legislation to increase fines for privacy breaches, largely......
27 October, 2022
California’s Sephora Enforcement Action – What Does It Mean for Australian Organisations?
While million-dollar fines are commonplace in Europe, the $1.2million settlement following the Sephora Enforcement Action......
21 October, 2022
Email Marketing Compliance Do’s & Don’ts When Buying Lists and Data Scraping
Email marketing can be exceptionally effective – but engaging in it is also rife with......
17 October, 2022
The Optus Data Breach Communications – A Case Study of What Not to Do in the Wake of a Breach
There has been a great deal of backlash in the wake of the Optus data......
05 October, 2022
Optus Data Breach: Time for change?
The Optus data breach has exposed how harmful a cyber incident can be. Many are......
05 October, 2022
5 Tips on Passing the CIPT exam
Table of Contents 5 practical tips on CIPT exam prep for anyone thinking of taking......
30 September, 2022
Privacy by Design: How to Bake Privacy in Early
Using privacy by design to bake privacy in early is becoming a must. The benefits......
30 September, 2022
Optus data breach – Listen to Dr Jodie Siganto on ABC Radio
Dr Jodie Siganto was one of the privacy and security experts interviewed by the ABC......
27 September, 2022
Metadata access is being abused. Who would have thought?
In September 2022 the Commonwealth Ombudsman reported a major spike in surveillance involving telco metadata......
27 September, 2022
The Right to Privacy & Roe v Wade: The Little-Known Link Between Privacy Rights and Abortion Explained
Roe v Wade, the US Supreme Court case which protected the right to abortion for......
23 September, 2022
Employee Photos and Privacy: What You Need To Know
Key takeaways: Employee photos may be personal information for the purposes of the Privacy Act,......
10 April, 2021
CCTV Laws in Australia: 5 Tips for Managing CCTV Privacy Issues
Privacy has been in the headlines recently following the CHOICE investigation into the use of......
11 July, 2022
Email Marketing Laws in Australia That Direct Marketers Need to Know About
Email marketing is remarkably effective. In its 2021 Email Marketing ROI Statistics report Barilliance cites the average return-on-investment......
07 May, 2021
Australia’s AI Ethical Framework: Another paper tiger?
Like many countries Australia has an AI ethical framework. But how influential will it be......
08 July, 2021
Using Biometrics: What’s the status in Australia
The use of biometrics in Australia is increasing, in the workplace, by retailers, educational institutions......
12 August, 2021
Is a work email address covered by privacy laws?
One of the most common privacy questions is: are work email addresses considered personal information......
11 October, 2021
What does privacy compliance cost Australian small businesses?
Small businesses[1] are largely exempt from the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and this is......
14 December, 2021
Data Breach Notifications in Australia: The basic guide to who, what, when, how, and why
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) recently released its Notifiable Data Breaches Report: January......
26 October, 2021
Privacy engineering (and engineers) are hot!
Privacy engineering has emerged as a vital function for almost every business. Privacy engineers can......
12 May, 2022
Data Sharing and Third Parties: Questions to ask before sharing personal information you’ve collected
Regulators around the globe have been targeting their enforcement efforts at companies that engage in......
05 February, 2022
ISO 27701 Privacy Management System: How useful is it?
ISO 27701 provides guidance on the protection of privacy, including how organizations should manage personal......
05 May, 2020
Career Roadmap for Privacy Professionals in Australia
Privacy is an exciting field that’s attracting plenty of attention in the media. It’s an......
06 March, 2021
OAIC Determinations: A slice and dice of the data
The Privacy 108 team has reviewed OAIC determinations published since 1 November 2010 and identified......
03 July, 2022
Data Mapping: How to Map Your Data for Better Privacy Management
Data mapping is one of the most critical steps in any privacy program. Maintaining a......
19 June, 2021
How Much Does a Privacy Breach Cost in Australia?
Phenomenally high penalties pertaining to privacy breaches are now routinely found in news headlines. In......
16 March, 2022
Clearview AI’s Australian Privacy Breach
Penalties have started to flow in for Clearview AI’s controversial scraping and use of the......
18 March, 2022
New security obligations for Australian Critical Infrastructure Providers: Why?
Rushed, imprecise and unlikely to be enforced? And most importantly, why? In November 2020, the......
13 December, 2020
How To Prepare for the CIPT Exam: A Privacy Instructor Explains
Table of Contents What is the CIPT Certification? The CIPT Exam: What’s in it? How......
27 August, 2021
More surveillance powers for Australian law enforcement
Australian federal law enforcement agencies can now alter online data and take over on-line accounts.......
09 September, 2021
The end to ASIC v RI Advice: Cyber security take-aways for Australian organisations
In early May 2022, the Australian Federal Court released its judgement in the long-running ASIC......
06 May, 2022
Ransomware in Australia: Legal Liability, Notifications and Your Obligations
Ransomware in Australia is on the rise! As a result, regulators are paying more and......
23 March, 2022
How do I get my CISM Certification?
Thinking about getting the CISM? This is an easy guide to all the practical steps......
23 April, 2021
Privacy Officers: What do they do?
Google Trends tells us there has been a slow and steady increase in interest in......
09 June, 2021
Woolworths’ New Privacy Policy: Making privacy simple?
The Woolworths Group have updated their Privacy Policy. The new policy is good but could......
06 February, 2021
IKEA France’s CEO Handed a Suspended Sentence for Spying on Employees: Could This Happen in Australia?
In June, Swedish furniture chain IKEA was ordered to pay a fine of 1 million......
14 August, 2021
Flight Centre’s Design Jam Data Breach: What can we learn?
Flight Centre, Australia’s largest travel agency suffered a data breach affecting nearly 7,000 customers, as......
16 February, 2021
The Difference Between ‘Security’ and ‘Privacy’ Jobs – And Why IT Matters
Today, there’s no such thing as the ‘ideal background’ for a privacy professional. Privacy is......
01 April, 2021
How do I Prepare for the CISM Certification Exam?
How can you give yourself the greatest chance of passing your CISM exam? We want......
23 April, 2021
Australian Privacy Jobs Quarterly Report – Sep 2022
Privacy 108’s analysis of Australian privacy jobs advertised in September 2022 is now available. Table......
17 November, 2022
Australian Privacy Jobs Quarterly Report – June 2022
Privacy 108’s analysis of Australian privacy jobs advertised in June 2022 is now available. Table......
25 July, 2022
Preparing for the iapp CIPP/E Exam? Some exam prep tips
Thinking of taking the iapp CIPP/E exam but not sure how to prepare or whether......
22 October, 2020
Calling Out 3 of the Biggest Privacy Fails of 2021
Privacy Awareness Week 2022 runs from 2-8 May. To highlight this year’s theme: Privacy –......
15 April, 2022
Privacy Cases in Australia: Any Progress?
In 2019, we reported on three (3) Australian data breach class actions. Nearly 2 years......
26 May, 2020
5 Tips on Preparing for the CIPP/E exam
5 practical tips on CIPP/E exam prep for anyone thinking of taking the exam. Table......
28 October, 2021
Voice Recording Laws: Is It Legal to Record a Conversation in Australia?
Australia has a patchwork of state laws that cover listening devices and the surveillance of......
15 September, 2022
Quick Tips for Communicating About Privacy Issues Within Your Organisation
Cookies, aggregated data, dark patterns, and ransomware are just a few of thousands of privacy-related......
08 September, 2022
The Updated CIPP/E Body of Knowledge: What Has Changed
The IAPP’s CIPP/E certification covers key privacy terminology, and the practical considerations relating to personal......
27 August, 2022
Security for privacy practitioners: What security certification suits?
We are often asked by privacy practitioners to recommend security training to help them get......
26 August, 2022
Who Needs to Comply with China’s PIPL?
Organisations are getting used to the extraterritorial scope of privacy laws enacted in other countries,......
20 August, 2022
A Privacy Compliance Tool to Overcome Common Privacy Issues You Need to Avoid
Compliance with Australia’s Privacy Principles is non-negotiable for organisations covered by Australia’s privacy laws (APP......
16 August, 2022
Canada’s Digital Charter Implementation Act 2022 – And What Australia Can Learn From It
Canada appears to be looking to update and strengthen its digital privacy with the introduction......
12 August, 2022
Queensland’s Information Privacy Act review: What’s being considered?
Queensland is updating its Information Privacy and Right to Information Framework, with a consultation paper......
10 August, 2022
The American Data Privacy and Protection Act (ADPPA): What’s happening?
The American Data Privacy and Protection Act (ADPPA) is making its way through the US......
10 August, 2022
PIPL: Proposed China SCCs for Cross Border Transfers
On 30 June 2022, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) released a template agreement for......
05 August, 2022
ISACA CISM Exam Update: What’s Changed
The ISACA updates the content of its curriculum and exams around every five years. The......
29 July, 2022
5 Key Questions Boards Should Ask About Cyber Incidents
The frequency of ransomware attacks is rising, as is the average cost of a privacy......
24 July, 2022
CIPM Body of Knowledge Update: What’s Changed
Privacy is an exciting and dynamic field that is rapidly changing. While this makes it......
23 July, 2022
What is Australia doing about scams? The ACCC’s 3 pronged approach
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has proposed a “three-pronged approach” to ensure Australia......
22 July, 2022
Thailand Privacy Law Becomes Operational: 5 Compliance Issues
Thailand enacted its comprehensive privacy law on 28 May 2019. After giving covered organisations three......
14 July, 2022
What Privacy Professionals Need to Know About Dark Patterns Regulation
Dark patterns regulation has emerged as a focus in both the US and EU over......
30 June, 2022
EU’s New Deal for Consumers: a dark future for dark patterns
Laws banning dark patterns, hidden advertising, and manipulated consumer reviews became effective in the EU......
24 June, 2022
Privacy Enforcement in APAC: Privacy Breach Penalties by APAC Regulators
Privacy breaches and enforcement in Europe, the US, and Australia garner much media attention in......
17 June, 2022
Transfer Impact Assessments Under the New SCCs: What You Need to Know
The New SCCs require organisations to undertake a transfer impact assessment before completing a transfer......
10 June, 2022
Australian Privacy Jobs Quarterly Report – March 2022
Privacy 108’s analysis of Australian privacy jobs advertised in March 2022 is now available. Table......
07 June, 2022
How Can I Legally Collect Email Addresses? Practical Methods for Gaining Consent
The penalties for sending unsolicited (or spam) marketing emails in Australia can be severe –......
12 November, 2021
How to Structure Your Privacy Team
We revealed in our December 2021 Privacy Jobs Report that larger organisations are increasingly implementing......
07 June, 2022
5 Tips for Successfully Implementing Privacy by Design
In a world where there’s no cookie cutter template to privacy, companies are hungry for......
30 May, 2022
It’s the GDPR’s 4 Year Anniversary: These are the 4 Biggest Impacts It Has Had on Global Privacy
Europe’s landmark General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) came into effect (just over) 4 years on......
21 May, 2022
5 IAPP Certification Exam Tips to Help You Prepare (By an IAPP Training Partner)
For any IAPP certification, real-world experience is an advantage – but sitting an exam is......
13 May, 2022
Privacy: Building the Foundation of Trust
“Distrust is now society’s default emotion”. This is the no. 1 Takeaway from the 2022......
05 May, 2022
Project REDSPICE: Looking into Australia’s $10b Investment in Cyber Security
Many privacy and cyber security professionals across Australia were surprised by the $9.9 billion earmarked......
28 April, 2022
Delayed Data Breach Notification: When is it okay to delay?
Under Australian law, organisations are required to notify the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner......
22 April, 2022
Privacy Shield 2.0 is Coming – But is the new EU-US data transfer mechanism here to stay?
The Whitehouse and EU Commission announced the impending arrival of Privacy Shield 2.0 on 25......
13 April, 2022
Changing legal landscape for Data Breach Notification in Australia
With the rise of cyber security incidents and increased concern about ransomware, additional data breach......
11 April, 2022
The new ISO 27002: 2022 – Answers to some Frequently Asked Questions
The new 2022 revision of ISO 27002 was published on February 15, 2022 It’s been......
10 April, 2022
What does it take to be a DPO?
The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires certain organisations to appoint a data protection......
29 March, 2022
How to Write a Better Privacy Policy: Best Practices for Privacy Policies
Australia’s Privacy Act 1988 requires APP entities to have a clear and up-to-date privacy policy......
26 March, 2022
The Consequences of Privacy Regulatory Inaction: Some lessons from the EU for Australia
When the GDPR introduced hefty new fines and more stream lined enforcement, many privacy advocates......
24 March, 2022
Update to ISO 27002
Table of Contents Finally, ISO 27002 has been updated! What has changed? Revised Controls ISO......
11 March, 2022
China’s PIPL: A Guide to What’s Covered
China’s privacy law, the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL), came into effect on November 1,......
09 March, 2022
De-identification as a Privacy-Enhancing Tool: How, when and why to use it
De-identification is a powerful solution to many of the privacy concerns data sharing and use......
09 March, 2022
Red Cross Data Breach Exposes Personal Information from the World’s Most Vulnerable
On January 19, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) published a press release......
18 February, 2022
Privacy Program FAQs for Privacy Professionals
As customers become more alert to privacy issues, organisational privacy programs must achieve customer trust......
11 February, 2022
Cambridge Analytica Scandal Fallout: Facebook Appeal Dismissed by Australia’s Federal Court
Late last month, in our coverage of the largest GDPR fines in 2021, we outlined......
10 February, 2022
Australian Privacy Professionals Survey 2021 – Results
Results from our 2021 Privacy Professional Survey are now available. Thank you to everyone who......
31 January, 2022
GDPR Fines in 2021: What can we learn?
EU privacy regulators last year levied fines totalling more than €1 billion for GDPR breaches,......
26 January, 2022
Australia’s Privacy Act Review: Another missed opportunity?
Privacy 108 has submitted its response to the Privacy Act Review Discussion Paper. You can......
25 January, 2022
Google Analytics and GDPR: A win for privacy activists
The recent decision around the use of Google Analytics underlines the continuing battles between EU......
24 January, 2022
Dark Patterns: What are They and Why Should You Remove Them From Your Website?
Facebook and Google have received hefty fines from France’s lead data protection authority, the CNIL,......
20 January, 2022
Australian Privacy Jobs Quarterly Report – December 2021
Privacy 108’s analysis of Australian privacy jobs advertised in December 2021 is now available. Table......
14 January, 2022
A Privacy Instructor’s Guide to the CIPM Exam
Thinking about taking the IAPP CIPM exam but you’re not sure how to prepare or......
13 January, 2022
Grindr Fined €6.5 million for Breaching GDPR Consent Requirements
Norway’s data privacy watchdog has issued a 6.5 million Euro fine to a location-based social......
07 January, 2022
Re-introducing the Re-identification Offence Bill: The dumbest privacy idea this year?
The Privacy Act Discussion Paper, the latest stage in the comprehensive review of Australia’s Privacy ......
29 December, 2021
Privacy-Enhancing Technologies as the Solution to Eroding Trust: Lessons from the World Economic Forum’s Recent Publication on Consumer (Mis)Trust.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) recently released an article about “How to overcome mistrust of......
23 December, 2021
CLOUD Agreement eases law enforcement access to big tech data
On December 15, 2021, the United States and Australia signed an agreement to make it......
19 December, 2021
3 Gamechanging New Year’s Privacy Resolutions for Your Business in 2022
As the new year approaches, it’s time to consider your resolutions for 2022. Business owners......
10 December, 2021
3 New Year’s Resolutions for Budding Privacy Professionals: What you can do to land your dream job in 2022
If you’re looking to make 2022 the year you land your dream job as a......
03 December, 2021
EDPB Data Transfer Guidance: Draft released for consultation
Many Australian organisations have suffered the double whammy of being caught by the extra territorial......
01 December, 2021
Should small businesses be exempt from the Privacy Act?
In October 2021, the Australian Attorney-General’s Department issued a discussion paper seeking further submissions on......
30 November, 2021
Australian Privacy Professionals Survey 2021
In 2019 we ran our first Australian Privacy Professionals Survey. Time has flown and the......
26 November, 2021
Privacy as a Competitive Advantage for Australian Businesses: Why should companies care about data privacy?
While not as well-publicised as greenwashing, consumers and regulators are becoming more aware of the......
26 November, 2021
Which CIPP Certification is Right for Me?
The Certified Information Privacy Professional certifications offered by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) are......
19 November, 2021
Google Free Choice Screen Closer for Australians
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has reiterated its call for Google to implement......
16 November, 2021