Retention must justify privacy invasion.

• Position: PRIVACY

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Before it requires Internet service providers (ISPs) to retain data on e-mail and other information from Australian citizens, the government must conduct a cost-benefit analysis and justify why law enforcement needs such information, an Australian Senate committee has declared.

As part of its investigation into the protections of Australians online, the committee issued a report advising the attorney general to prove that such a data retention scheme would be worth invading users' privacy, according to ZDNet Australia.

The senate inquiry was launched after ZDNet Australia reported that the attorney general's office was looking into a data retention scheme. Calling the scheme a "significant departure" from Australia's privacy regulations, the committee noted the information retained under the plan should not be used for any purpose other than for law enforcement purposes.

If the attorney general's department pursues such a scheme, the committee recommended the government conduct an "extensive analysis of the costs, the benefits, and the risks" of the plan. The government must then justify why any collected information is required, how much it will cost ISPs, and how the government intends to monitor the program to ensure the data is stored securely, ZDNet Australia said.

The committee has also recommended the attorney general consult with a wider...