Australia Tightens Privacy Laws for AI & Smart Glasses

The Australian federal government is introducing significant updates to privacy laws, focusing on modern technologies such as artificial intelligence and smart glasses. Draft legislation, to be released shortly, will also introduce IDLock, an enhanced online safeguard for identity documents.

These changes will grant individuals a "right to erasure," enabling them to request social media and search companies to destroy their stored personal information, a provision that will not extend to media organizations publishing news.

Attorney-General Michelle Rowland emphasized the importance of Australians controlling their identity information online. The IDLock system, set to be available in myGov accounts by 2027 after an initial trial, will empower users to block, unblock, and track the usage of their identity documents.

This initiative builds upon the existing Credential Protection Register, which has already blocked over 830,000 fraudulent identity verification attempts. The government plans to consult with industry stakeholders before aiming to introduce the new laws into parliament by the end of 2026.