Those in Australia, is this news about surveillance true, or just a media distortion?

[Zaxeiler]

Saw this as a headline on social media. The website isn’t one I’ve seen or would consider reliable. But it makes bold claims. 
 

https://tutanota.com/blog/posts/australia-surveillance-bill/

[El Presidente]

Official target is kiddyfiddlers/groomers, traffickers and moneylaunderers.

Let's see what else it is used for. 

 

 

[El Presidente]

 

 

 

The first of the warrants is a data disruption one, touted as a way to prevent "continuation of criminal activity by participants, and be the safest and most expedient option where those participants are in unknown locations or acting under anonymous or false identities". This warrant gives the cops the ability to "disrupt data" by modifying, copying, adding, or deleting it.

Failure to comply could land an individual with 10 years of imprisonment.

The second is a network activity warrant that would allow the AFP and ACIC to collect intelligence from devices or networks that are used, or likely to be used, by those subject to the warrant.

The last warrant is an account takeover warrant that will allow the agencies to take control of an online account for the purposes of gathering information for an investigation.

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) recommended the passage of the so-called "hacking" Bill earlier this month, provided that its 33 other recommendations were met. Shadow Minister for Home Affairs Kristina Keneally confirmed in the Senate on Wednesday the government has implemented "wholly or substantially" 23 of the 33 recommendations through legislative amendments or changes to the Bill's explanatory memorandum.

These include strengthening the issuing criteria for warrants, including considerations for privacy, public interest, privileged and journalistic information, and financial impacts; reviews by the ISLM and the PJCIS; sunset powers in five years; and good-faith immunity provisions for assistance orders.

[Enduin]

3 hours ago, Zaxeiler said:

Saw this as a headline on social media. The website isn’t one I’ve seen or would consider reliable. But it makes bold claims. 
 

https://tutanota.com/blog/posts/australia-surveillance-bill/

For those who don't know, Tutanota is an email provider that focuses on privacy and security, I switched to them years ago after learning that google was scanning the content of all my gmail emails. Services like Tutanota (and Protonmail and others) provide end to end encrypted emails and don't actually have access to your password, which is why if you lose it and don't have an alternate recovery code setup you are out of luck. This is to say, when it comes to privacy, or the opposite government surveillance and overreach, I would consider Tutanota a VERY reliable source.

Regarding the surveillance bill, as for all similar laws, I believe that expecting that people in a position of power will not misuse or abuse their power if they are given a chance reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of human psychology.

[Zaxeiler]

Thanks for weighing in. 
 

Yes, not to say they’re not reliable, but just calling out the bias or conflict of interest. I wasn’t sure the news was fully accurate. Appreciate the light you’ve both shed.