PEOPLE UPDATES
“Four years ago, a group of academics, technology experts and activists came together in the meeting rooms of ThoughtWorks Australia with a shared vision: to unite in their advocacy against the recently passed mandatory metadata retention laws. Much was discussed about the state of human rights in online spaces and the ramping up of attacks from conservative governments. That meeting led to the formation of Digital Rights Watch, and it’s been my privilege to serve as Chair of this organisation over that time.”
BYE TIM Tim Singleton Norton, our Founding Chair, stepped down after four years of leadership. We are so grateful for Tim’s commitment, expertise and enthusiasm for the work of DRW. We are sorry to see him go, but his legacy will be a strong and agile organisation that works in myriad ways to advance our mission.
HI LIZZIE Lizzie O’Shea, a founding board member, took over from Tim as the new chair of DRW.
“It’s an honour to take over as chair of Digital Rights Watch from Tim Singleton Norton. Our priorities for DRW continue to be to stand up for digital rights. Australia is the only developed country without a bill of rights, and it shows. Too often, our lawmakers do not treat the protection of digital rights a priority, and make laws that centralised power in online spaces in the surveillance state and the tech industry. We have a great dynamic board, some terrific staff members and a clever and powerful membership base. There is plenty we can achieve when we work together, and I’m looking forward to making sure that happens.”
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