Australia’s new data retention laws – the ones which force Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to keep metadata for two years – have officially come into force today, so with the help of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull‘s technological know-how, we’re sharing his tips for how you can avoid having your trail of metadata eaten up by the hungry metadata machine.
Back when Mr Turnbull was Communications Minister, he sat down with Sky News to give some advice on how anyone can “avoid leaving a trail”, actually telling everyone how to avoid the Orwellian laws which he himself helped develop and launch.
Here are Mr Turnbull’s tips for getting around the new data retention protocols (skip to 6:25 for peak tip-giving):
Now that Mal has given his two cents, here are some other handy ways to keep yourself as anonymous as possible online. It’s by no means a comprehensive list, but it’s a start:
- Get a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to route your data through a secure network
- Conduct voice calls through services like Skype, Facebook Messenger or FaceTime to keep details of who you’re speaking to private
- Send text messages via things like Facebook Messenger, iMessage, Skype, Signal or RedPhone to do the same
- Use an overseas email service like Gmail or Hotmail to keep emails as secret as possible
- Use the Tor web browser if you want extra security and like onions as much as Tony Abbott
We’re still waiting on a data retention-related post from that brilliant ‘Texts From Malcolm’ Instagram parody account, but there’s probably one being cooked up as we speak.
Until then, stay safe out on those interwebs.
Feature Image: Malcolm Turnbull Official Facebook
