New Federal laws will outlaw the malicious release of personal data online, known as doxxing.
Federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said new legislation, introduced into Parliament this week, would strengthen privacy protections for Australians.
Minister Dreyfus said The Privacy Act 1988 had not kept pace with changes in the digital world.
“Recent large-scale data breaches were distressing for millions of Australians, with their most sensitive personal information exposed by criminals,” he said.
Minister Dreyfus said the Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 implemented a first tranche of agreed recommendations from the Privacy Act Review, including:
- A new statutory tort to address serious invasions of privacy.
- 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 Office of the Australian Information Commissioner for it to develop the 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.
- Stronger enforcement powers for the Australian Information Commissioner.
“The Bill also introduces new criminal offences to outlaw doxxing, the malicious release of personal data online.
“The Bill will impose a maximum penalty of 6 years’ imprisonment for the malicious use of personal data, and a more serious penalty of 7 years’ imprisonment, where a person or group is targeted because of their race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status, disability, nationality or national or ethnic origin.”
