David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Attorney-General, Minister Watt. Minister, Meta has announced that from tomorrow it plans to harvest social media users' data to train its new AI tools, sparking serious concerns right around the world about privacy issues and copyright, particularly amongst creatives. Consumers in the EU and UK are able to opt out if they choose to because of protections their government has put in place. What action is the government taking to protect the data of Australians and Australian small businesses?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Pocock, and I share your concerns, as does this government. I'm certainly aware that, from 26 June—which is tomorrow—Meta plans on using public social media activity from users to train and improve its AI tools. I think that this raises privacy concerns for many Australians. It corresponds with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner's 2023 privacy survey, which found that roughly 70 per cent of Australians consider that organisations using AI must comply with strict privacy rules and less than 20 per cent are comfortable with businesses using AI to make decisions about them based on their personal information.

Senator Pocock, you asked what action the government is taking. As a starting point, the Privacy Commissioner, Ms Carly Kind, has requested a meeting with Meta to discuss their proposed privacy safeguards regarding its AI tools. The Albanese government is also committed to stronger privacy protections for Australians. As you'd be aware, Senator Pocock, we do have a number of proposed privacy reforms that we seek to bring through this parliament. They would assist in mitigating some of these risks and concerns by requiring the collection, use and disclosure of personal information to be fair and reasonable in the circumstances. They would require consent to be voluntary and informed and would recognise the ability for individuals to withdraw consent; they would require entities to provide clear information about the use of algorithms and profiling to recommend content to individuals; and they would provide individuals with additional rights, including a right to erasure under certain circumstances.

It's a bit trite, I guess, to say that, with the use of AI growing in Australia and internationally, we are finding that the laws that we have in place right around the world need updating to ensure that safeguards are provided. I'm looking forward to the outcome of that meeting between the Privacy Commissioner and Meta while we get on with our broader reforms.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Pocock, first supplementary?

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister. It's good to hear that you've requested a meeting with Meta. I was listening to an interview in which Dr Julia Powles, associate professor of law and tech at UWA, highlighted that the speculative collection of information for future unknown purposes is unlawful in Australia. Will the A-G actually stand up for Australians and prevent this foreign company from breaching our laws and taking Australians' data without their consent?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks, Senator Pocock. I certainly can assure the Australian public that the Attorney-General will use all powers at his disposal to ensure that Australians' privacy is protected, whether it be from social media giants or from others who do not observe the privacy rights of Australians. So, to the extent that existing laws do permit action to be taken, I'm confident that the Attorney-General will give that serious consideration while these discussions go on directly with Meta about the precise issue that you're asking about and that, according to Meta, it intends to pursue from tomorrow. So there can be no doubt about the Albanese government's commitment to ensuring and upholding Australians' privacy rights. As I say, we do have a range of privacy reforms proposed that we intend to pursue to strengthen those rights. But, as I say, to the extent that laws provide opportunities for the Attorney-General to take action, I'm confident that he'll do so.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Pocock, second supplementary?

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister. On what date was a meeting requested with Meta, and is the government's plan of action to take action after-the-fact or is there some sort of pre-emptive move from the Attorney-General to tell Meta that they can't do what they plan on doing from tomorrow? This is not something that can wait.

Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yeah, from tomorrow. What are you doing to protect our info?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Lambie, it's not your question.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would obviously have to take on notice the date that that meeting was sought by the Privacy Commissioner, and I'm happy, in doing so, to provide any further information I can as to other steps that the Attorney-General and his department have taken in relation to this matter. But, as I say, I think the fact that that meeting is occurring between the Privacy Commissioner and Meta does demonstrate the seriousness with which we take these issues, along with those extensive privacy reforms that we intend to bring into parliament as soon as we can.