The PR Blog

The Australian Government’s proposed new laws to crack down on misinformation and disinformation have drawn intense criticism for their potential to restrict free expression and political dissent, paving the way for a digital censorship regime reminiscent of Soviet Lysenkoism.

Under the draft legislation, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) will gain considerable expanded regulatory powers to “combat misinformation and disinformation,” which ACMA says poses a “threat to the safety and wellbeing of Australians, as well as to our democracy, society and economy.”

Digital platforms will be required to share information with ACMA on demand, and to implement stronger systems and processes for handling of misinformation and disinformation.

Six years ago, fate had me stumble across a YouTube video of Mischa Maisky playing the Sarabande from Bach’s first cello suite. I don’t know why, but I decided to rent a cello with the goal of playing this song, at least badly. 

I didn’t have a teacher nor any more sophisticated plan beyond that. Fate would strike again in a fit of harmonic synchronicity: the woman who would teach me appeared at the luthier the day I picked up my cello. I had no musical experience; she was a professional. 

When the student is ready, the teacher appears. I had the right guidance. I practiced. By the end of the first year I could play the Sarabande badly. I had accomplished my goal, but I was hooked. 

When we think of anarchy, the image that often springs to mind is one of lawless mayhem, a world without rules or structure. But what if I told you that anarchy is already with us? It is simply that the governments in the world are getting away with it and the sensible citizens among us are still trying to abide by the rules. 

In fact, we are living in parallel societies. Where the rules only apply to those who follow them. The rest? Hell, it is open season for anarchy. 

I am a great fan of debate: where teams representing opposing points of view argue their case and the decision is made as to who wins by casting votes for one side or the other. 

But today, the votes are already cast and anarchy is already with us. 

A National Digital ID is the precursor to introducing Social Credit Scores, Carbon Credit, Vaccine Passports and cashless CBDCs. It is the crucial component to establishing an AI-Surveillance State.

A National Digital ID system will soon be foisted upon all Australians — if we let it. Our government has schemed and conspired for this for some time, and that time is almost upon us.

It will be unlike existing Digital ID. The technology will be based on the storage of blockchain-encrypted biometrics  that can be securely scanned and decoded upon request. Every Australian will be required to submit a combination of their unique biological aspects (fingerprints, palm print, iris scan, DNA, face scan, etc) to a nationwide database. Once these biometrics have been gathered, they will comprise a unique Digital ID that can be routinely accessed for verification and identification purposes. You will be instantaneously identifiable everywhere; geolocated and tracked; and with all personal data harvested and analysed — every aspect of your life, health and finances will be openly scrutinized by endless AI-profiling.

What could possibly go right.

" We need to preserve wild spaces. Outside in the environment, but also within ourselves. The opposite of control isn’t chaos, it is reality" 

I read this quote recently and it got me pondering. 

What a profoundly wonderful piece of truth.

When our lives are controlled, we are meaningless. We drift from task to task, seemingly blind in achieving our objective which, ultimately, is to stay ahead of the Boss Hogs, Weasels, and Snakes.