This week Jordan is joined by Dr Kate Bower from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) to discuss the biggest shake-up to online privacy for Australian kids in 25 years, and how you can have your say.The Children’s Online Privacy Code will set out new rules for the handling of children’s personal information by apps games and websites likely to be accessed by children or primarily concerned with the activities of children.

Kate and Jordan break down what’s in the code, where it comes from, and why it looks the way it does. They also revisit what the OAIC learnt from past consultation rounds, and how you (and your kids and your community) can have your say.

Public consultation on the proposed Children’s Online Privacy Code is open until 5 June. Kate and the team are genuinely keen to hear from industry, but also from parents, carers and children. The OAIC has put together a range of engagement resources like child friendly explainers, worksheets, lesson plans and more to make it easier for kids and parents to participate, which you can access at Privacy for Kids | OAIC.

Dr Kate Bower is the Director of the Privacy Reform Implementation and Social Media (PRISM) Taskforce at the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

Links:

The OAIC’s Children’s Online Privacy Code information hub https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-for-kids

Kate’s blog post on the code and the OAIC’s approach https://www.oaic.gov.au/news/blog/sunshine-and-double-rainbows-building-a-better-online-environment-for-children-and-young-people

Credits:

Editing and post-production by Martin Franklin (East CoastStudio) www.eastcoaststudio.com.au

This week we unpack the dispute between Anthropic and the US Department of Defense and it what it says about AI governance more broadly.

What began as a contractual disagreement rapidly turned into a political and legal stoush that culminated in the designation of Anthropic as a US national supply‑chainrisk.

We break down the areas of concern - fully autonomous lethal weapons and mass domestic surveillance - and debate whether private tech companies should be allowed to constrain how governments use technologies like AI

Links:

Article about Pentagon designating Anthropic a supply‑chain risk (Yahoo) https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/pentagon-designates-anthropic-supply-chain-114515625.html

Anthropic statement https://www.anthropic.com/news/statement-comments-secretary-war

Oped on the Pentagon–Anthropic brawl (ASPI) https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/pentagon-anthropic-brawl-demands-rethink-of-ai-industry/

Oped on the Pentagon–Anthropic brawl (Tech Policy Press) https://www.techpolicy.press/how-to-think-about-the-anthropic-pentagon-dispute/

Article on the dispute (The Atlantic) https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/2026/03/inside-anthropics-killer-robot-dispute-with-the-pent…

Analysis by former Trump AI advisor https://www.hyperdimensional.co/p/clawed

Credits:

Editing and post-production by Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) www.eastcoaststudio.com.au

In this episode we explore the implications of an Administrative Review Tribunal ruling that Australian retailer Bunnings was reasonably entitled to use facial recognition technology (FRT) to combat crime and staff abuse in its stores.

The ruling comes after a protracted dispute, with Bunnings appealing a 2024 determination by Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind that it had breached privacy laws in using FRT to scan customers' faces without their consent.

We break down the legal intricacies and justifications for the decision, and explore the impact it might have on FRT adoption more widely.
Links:
Article about the Administrative Review Tribunal ruling (ABC) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-05/bunnings-wins-ai-facial-recognition-tech-fight/106309308
ART ruling https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/cth/ARTA/2026/130.html
OAIC statement https://www.oaic.gov.au/news/media-centre/oaic-statement-on-administrative-review-tribunals-bunning…
Bunnings statement https://media.bunnings.com.au/api/public/content/51f48a5bef0748109f7b52607bdfbd06?v=9b52aa2c&_gl=1*…
Analysis of ruling (The Conversation) https://theconversation.com/bunnings-decision-may-open-door-to-facial-recognition-surveillance-free…
Analysis of ruling (The Guardian) https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/feb/05/bunnings-given-green-light-to-use-facial-rec…

Credits:
Editing and post-production by Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) www.eastcoaststudio.com.au
Music by Bensound.com

In our first episode for the year we revisit the big themes of 2025, and explore how they're shaping in 2026.

We discuss changing sentiments around AI, its impact on the online information ecosystem, the social media ban and ongoing focus on children's privacy, and how cyber threats are evolving in the AI age.

Links:
TWIDT #146 Australia's grand plan for AI https://podcasts.apple.com/cm/podcast/146-australias-grand-plan-for-ai/id1616386683?i=1000743906862
Australia's National AI plan https://www.industry.gov.au/news/australia-launches-national-ai-plan-capture-opportunities-share-be…
Article about sentiments about an AI bubble (AFR) https://www.afr.com/chanticleer/microsoft-s-shock-plunge-isn-t-end-of-ai-bubble-but-it-s-a-warning-…
TWIDT #134 AI slop is taking over the internet https://podcasts.apple.com/cm/podcast/134-ai-slop-is-taking-over-the-internet/id1616386683?i=100071…
Article about start of social media ban (ABC) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-15/social-media-ban-data-millions-of-accounts-closed/106232768
Article about almost autonomous AI-enabled cyber attacks in 2025 (The Conversation) https://theconversation.com/an-ai-lab-says-chinese-backed-bots-are-running-cyber-espionage-attacks-…

Credits:
Editing and post-production by Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) www.eastcoaststudio.com.au
Music by Bensound.com

In this episode we break down the National AI Plan released by the Government in December.The plan broadly sets out how Australia will capture the opportunities of AI, how the benefits will be spread across the economy and how it guide the safe and responsible adoption of AI.
We debate whether the plan strikes the right tone, pursues the right opportunities and whether it does enough to manage the risks of AI.

Links:
Australia's National AI plan https://www.industry.gov.au/news/australia-launches-national-ai-plan-capture-opportunities-share-be…
Article about the plan (ABC News) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-02/national-artificial-intelligence-plan-growth-existing-laws/1…
Analysis of the plan (Crikey) https://theconversation.com/australias-national-ai-plan-has-just-been-released-who-exactly-will-ben…
Article about environmental impact of data centres (ABC News) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-27/ai-to-take-up-one-quarter-of-sydney-water-in-a-decade/105700…
Article about energy use of data centres (Guardian) 
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/03/datacentres-demand-huge-amounts-of-electrici…
Article about MIT study on successful AI pilots (Forbes) https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonsnyder/2025/08/26/mit-finds-95-of-genai-pilots-fail-because-compa…

Credits:
Editing and post-production by Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) www.eastcoaststudio.com.au
Music by Bensound.com

AI chatbots are becoming increasingly intimate spaces, with people using them for companionship, therapy and as a helpful personal assistant.
While our interactions with chatbots like ChatGPT and Copilot get more personal, we're also seeing logs and transcripts of these interactions increasingly find their way to the public - via FOI requests, court orders and security and privacy breaches.
We explore the convergence of these opposing trends.

Links:
Article about national security chief using Copilot (Crikey - PAYWALL) https://www.crikey.com.au/2025/11/12/australia-national-security-chief-ai-speech-writing/
Article about UK tech minister using ChatGPT for policy advice (New Scientist) https://www.newscientist.com/article/2472068-revealed-how-the-uk-tech-secretary-uses-chatgpt-for-po…
Article about California court order ChatGPT logs discoverable (AI Buzz) https://www.ai-buzz.com/court-rules-chatgpt-history-is-discoverable-evidence-in-lawsuits
Article about Grok chats exposed in Google search results (BBC) https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdrkmk00jy0o
Article about Meta leaking chatbot prompts (Toms Guide) https://www.tomsguide.com/computing/online-security/meta-ai-was-leaking-chatbot-prompts-and-answers…
OpenAI v New York Times https://openai.com/index/fighting-nyt-user-privacy-invasion/
NSW Government advisory on AI and recordkeeping https://www.nsw.gov.au/nsw-government/recordkeeping/create-and-capture/ai-and-recordkeeping

Credits:
Editing and post-production by Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) www.eastcoaststudio.com.au
Music by Bensound.com

This week we analyse the implications of the first ever civil penalties ordered under the Privacy Act.

In October, the Federal Court ordered that Australian Clinical Labs pay $5.8 million in civil penalties in relation to a data breach by its Medlab Pathology business in February 2022 that led tothe exposure of the personal information of over 223,000 people.

We discuss the key insights for cyber, privacy and risk practitioners emerging from the judgement.

Links:

OAIC statement https://www.oaic.gov.au/news/media-centre/australian-clinical-labs-ordered-to-pay-penalties-in-relation-to-medlab-pathology-data-breach-in-first-for-privacy-act

Federal Court judgement https://www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Judgments/fca/single/2025/2025fca1224

OAIC guidance on APP 11 "reasonable steps" (OAIC) https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/australian-privacy-principles/australian-privacy-principles-guidelines/chapter-11-app-11-security-of-personal-information

Credits:

Editing and post-production by Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) ⁠www.eastcoaststudio.com.au⁠

Music by Bensound.com

This week Arj is joined by elevenM colleague Brett Watson to breakdown the issues surrounding the rollout of facial recognition technology (FRT) across retail settings, stadiums and other venues in Australia.

The Privacy Commissioner recently ruled that the use of FRT by Australian retailers Bunnings and Kmart breached Australians' privacy. Bunnings is appealing the ruling, while Kmart is also considering an appeal - both arguing that their use of FRT is a proportionate response to issues like violence and theft in their stores.

With that as the backdrop, Arj and Brett debate the merits of privacy advocates' arguments against FRT.

Links:
OAIC ruling against Bunnings https://www.oaic.gov.au/news/media-centre/bunnings-breached-australians-privacy-with-facial-recogni…
OAIC ruling against Kmart https://www.oaic.gov.au/news/media-centre/18-kmarts-use-of-facial-recognition-to-tackle-refund-frau…
Article about OAIC ruling against Kmart (ABC News) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-18/kmart-facial-recognition-technology-privacy-commissioner/105…
Article about Bunnings arguments in favour of FRT (AFR - paywall) https://www.afr.com/technology/bunnings-boss-wants-new-laws-to-allow-facial-recognition-in-stores-2…
Article about Wesfarmers citing rise in retail theft (Skynews) https://www.skynews.com.au/business/finance/wesfarmers-boss-rob-scott-laments-uptick-in-retail-thef…
NZ Privacy Commissioner inquiry into Foodstuffs use of FRT https://www.privacy.org.nz/focus-areas/frt-inquiry-report/
Article about woman misidentified by Foodstuffs FRT (RNZ) https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/535871/woman-wrongly-kicked-out-over-foodstuffs-facial-recognit…

Credits:
Editing and post-production by Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) www.eastcoaststudio.com.au
Music by Bensound.com

This week we unpack the concept of sovereign AI, which is increasingly shaping both Australian and global conversations about national AI approaches.

We explore what sovereign AI means, the problem it seeks to solve, and the variety of options being proposed.

We also debate how feasible it is for Australia to can achieve a truly sovereign AI capability.

Links:

Article urging Australia to build sovereign AI (InnovationAus) https://www.innovationaus.com/build-sovereign-ai-now-or-face-lock-in-australia-warned/

Article about Australian startups building sovereign AI (AFR) https://www.afr.com/technology/we-can-do-it-for-under-100m-start-up-joins-race-to-build-local-chatgpt-20250908-p5mt5o

Article about Productivity Commission's views on sovereign AI (AFR) https://www.innovationaus.com/productivity-tsar-hoses-down-sovereign-ai-support-hopes/

Oped #1 about Australia's limitations in achieving sovereign AI (AFR) https://www.afr.com/technology/australia-is-seeking-its-place-in-the-ai-world-order-20250910-p5mu38?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Oped #2 about Australia's limitations in achieving sovereign AI (AFR) https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/labor-must-resist-the-temptation-to-build-sovereign-ai-20250903-p5ms97

Oped by Vic senator Michelle Ananda-Rajah (AFR)https://www.afr.com/technology/our-ai-future-is-being-built-overseas-we-can-t-afford-that-20250813-p5mmlq

Blog about South-East Asia's approach to sovereign AI (ASPI) https://aspicts.substack.com/p/the-monthly-roundup-angela-suriyasenee

Credits:

Editing and post-production by Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) ⁠www.eastcoaststudio.com.au⁠

Music by Bensound.com

This week we discuss the growing use of workplace surveillance technologies, triggered by a legal case involving an Australian compliance training company.

The case highlights the use of monitoring software that records an employee's screen activity and even their conversations detected by laptop microphones.

With employees increasingly working from home, the case speaks to broader implications for worker privacy and employee-employer trust relationships.

Links:

Article about Safetrac case (AFR) https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/workplace/company-turned-laptops-into-covert-recording-devices-to-monitor-wfh-20250822-p5mp0z

Article about the trend of workplace surveillance (Guardian) https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/apr/27/remote-work-software-home-surveillance-computer-monitoring-pandemic

OAIC summary of workplace monitoring and surveillance laws https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/your-privacy-rights/surveillance-and-monitoring/workplace-monitoring-and-surveillance

Vic Gov inquiry into workplace surveillance https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/49a1f1/contentassets/5232a88edcc34487aa0223bcbb2c8974/laeic-60-02-inquiry-into-workplace-surveillance2.pdf

Credits:

Editing and post-production by Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) ⁠www.eastcoaststudio.com.au⁠

Music by Bensound.com