Australia is set to announce significant changes to Privacy Act as part of ongoing privacy reforms aimed at enhancing online safety.
On 12 September 2024, the Federal Government introduced the Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 into the House of Representatives.
The Bill implements a first tranche of agreed recommendations from the Privacy Act Review, including:
a new statutory ‘privacy tort’
development of a Children's Online Privacy Code to better protect children from a range of online harms, supported by an additional $3 million over three years to the OAIC for it to develop this important Code
greater transparency for individuals regarding automated decisions that affect them
streamlined information sharing in the case of an emergency or eligible data breach, while ensuring that information is appropriately protected; and
stronger enforcement powers for the Australian Information Commissioner.
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