Mandatory logins for ABC iview could open an intimate window onto your life

Last week, the ABC announced it will begin to track the viewing habits of all users of its iview streaming platform from March 15. This will be done by making users create an account and log in to watch shows and “benefit from the next stage of personalised services” such as “program recommendations [and] watchlists”. The change was initially planned for the middle of last year, but was delayed after heavy criticism from privacy experts and others over the proposed arrangements for sharing and recording data. One point of contention was the ABC’s plans to share viewer data with Facebook and Google. The ABC says “significant work has been undertaken in providing effective privacy controls” during this delay. But nevertheless, critics maintain the new provisions still involve sharing using data without full consent. Read More