Data retention: an assessment of a proposed national scheme

The information society has developed rapidly since the end of the twentieth century. Many countries (including Australia) have been looking at ways to protect their citizens against the variety of risks associated with the continued evolution of the internet. The Australian Federal Government in 2013 proposed data retention as one possible method of protecting Australian society and aiding law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute cyber-crime.

The aim of this paper is to consider the issue of data retention from a stakeholder’s perspective by analysing the public submissions garnered by the Australian Federal Government and identify the key issues and concerns that were raised by these stakeholders. The paper used a qualitative approach to undertake theme analysis.

The paper shows the concerns and wishes that different stakes holders have regarding data retention within Australia.

This is a unique study into implementation of data retention at a national level, in terms of the paper focussing on Australia.