Apps record your heartbeat but now you worry the Census will remember your name? Australia will conduct a census on August 9th and for the first time will retain name and address details in the data set created by the nationwide data dredge. That's got privacy advocates worried that your data could be linked to multiple other government data sets, so much so that friend of The Register Jack Skinner has …
"...to offer it to just about every arm of government for cross-referencing..."
and
"while noble in aims, data matching across government is worryingly pervasive."
Remember folks, this is the Tax Man talking to CentreLink talking to your local council talking to.... without any oversight worth a damn. You get the point.
This is a data analyst's wet dream, and will be hotly pursued by the likes of Scott Morrison (he just happens to be the current one - I doubt Labor would be any different) using it to 'catch' all the people who allegedly defraud the country of zillions each year.
The fact that we all give "away vast amounts of personal data by joining social networks..." isn't really the point. We do this with (hopefully) our eyes open, and for some small anticipation of a return. EG: You get FaceBork for nothing because it 'helps' you keep in touch. You accept that you're the product. It's also (unless you've got huge resources) not all in one place or easily accessible to Big Brother.
In the case of the census, you're giving all this info to the Gov't gratis. The only return for your average punter is the heart-warming feeling that you've helped the country in its future planning, or that your great x 3 grand kids get to see you as an entry on ancestry.com next century.
"...the companies you gave it to show they have few scruples..." Very true, but I'm still at liberty to remove my association with them at my convenience. I fail to see how I can remove my association with Her Maj's Oz Gov't without removing myself permanently from Australia.
So... This time the census (and hence the Gov't) is going to keep your name(s) and address instead of anonymising the data. In those immortal words, "What could possibly go wrong?"
Come August 9th, I may find a quiet beach somewhere that requires at least a day's walk from the nearest road and set up camp for a few days until it all blows over. The buggers will probably still find me.
Name: L. Skywalker
Religion: Jedi
I can choose to use (contribute information) to Google, Facebook or other providers like Flybys by choosing to use or not use their services (tracking cookies notwithstanding). I cannot choose to avoid the census as it is mandated by the government. I can simply not use Facebook if I don't want them slurping my data.
My understanding for the Census being anonymous in the past was that it was so people wouldn't feel inclined to lie to protect themselves.
For example: with the violent hostility to anyone-who-doesn't-believe-as-me going on around the world at present, I certainly don't want my beliefs or their possible lack indexed to my identity and stored off somewhere that will inevitably become effectively public-domain sooner-or-later (not that I am inclined to trust the government or its agencies with such personal information themselves, either!).
On one hand, oz.gov already knows heaps about me ('cept my internet habits - good luck pokin' thru my VPNs!) but, on the other, this is a fairly significant invasion of privacy, or poses the potential for a serious breach of it at least.
I could be wrong, I don't actually think we're required by law to give our names on the census. Hear me out. Although they're saying it's 'compulsory', all that is is a means of them saying "we want this, so we're telling you that you have to give it to us".
BUT, the ABS' mission is to collect statistical information, and they're saying that names and addresses are statistically relevant. So, if you don't provide it, the onus will be on them to prove that it is statistical information (if they prosecute you for not providing it, that is).
Look no further than their own entry on their privacy page (see link below). Note that they're not directly addressing whether it is compulsory or not? There's a lot of wriggle room in the language, which seems to indicate they're not even convinced on the legality of collecting names and addresses. The Act (forget the regulations - it's all about the Act) doesn't mention names or addresses - only "statistical information".
I'll do what I've always done. Provide detailed, honest answers to all questions EXCEPT for names and addresses.
The Act: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/casa1905241/s9.html
ABS' privacy page: http://help.census.abs.gov.au/about/privacy
I could be wrong, I don't actually think we're required by law to give our names on the census.
Your name and address will be available to the government if you are on the electoral roll. All that's needed is for the census form collector to note your address on the form if you don't.
The legislation says I must answer all questions truthfully in the manner required.
In all my previous dealings with the ABS I have completed the form, cut out the reference number and signed declaration, and put the rest through the shredder & return the chaff, reference number & declaration in the envelope supplied.
The one and only time I got a follow up call (it was a business related survey I was forced to participate in) I was threatened with dire punishments until I had replied that I had complied with the requirements of the Act, I had honestly answered the questions in black ink on the form supplied and signed the declaration attesting to same. Nowhere did it say that I had to return said form in one piece.
ATM I am planning to have a cup of coffee with my FIL in a town located @ 4 hours away (ie drive 4 hours, have a cuppa, and come straight home again) & genuinely answer I was not at home & therefore do not have to complete "the form".
If you're not at home, you're obliged to complete it later, responding as if you were at home, though you have to say where you were. "I wasn't home" is no excuse for not completing the census - that's a myth. You may as well just not do it at all, stay home in bed, and ignore any phone calls you get.
The key is they cannot take a street address to court, they cannot fine your house - if you manage to avoid ALL contact and NEVER give a name, you escape. I've done it twice with the national health survey.
Had a recent confronting situation with them as apparently my household was selected for a survey. My experience was that emails are ignored (none of my 3 emails have been replied to), the employees don't respect the limits the law place on them (they do not have any right to enter residences), the organisation does not have the ability to comply with its own legislation.
I keep saying give me the written questions and I will comply with my legal obligation and give written answers = 3mnth stand off.
On Census
Like Diogenes style just hope he didn't use a cross cut shredder that allegedly prevents reassembly of the document in legible form or he may not have been legally compliant.
Unusually consversative types I work with are expressing their disgust and even questioning whether they will truthfully answer because of the must give your name business. On this it seems the 2016 Census might be an epic fail.
"Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say,"
Arguing that people don't care about business having information about them so it is OK for government to take information is ignoring the fact that one claims a monopoly on violence, has armed agents and can use internment camps if they do not like what you are doing.
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