About the Project

This project aims to identify, interpret, and clarify the relevant legal frameworks and ethical requirements guiding the deployment of automated data collection technologies (including data scraping) in Australia. The core objective of this work is to develop a series of practical recommendations that will serve to guide researchers and practitioners when navigating this novel, yet challenging, terrain.

This project will, first, catalogue and critically engage with the ethical challenges confronting those deploying automated data collection software. This will be accomplished through a systematic review of available evidence, including peer-reviewed research studies, publicly available government documents and grey literature, in order to identify all Australian uses of, and ethical issues associated with the deployment of data scraping technologies in different cyber security and law enforcement contexts. These use cases, and pertinent ethical challenges arising in an Australian context, will then be evaluated in light of the requirements set forth in the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research.

Next, jurisprudential research will be conducted to gain an understanding of existing legal frameworks governing the use of said technologies. This will build on prior legal analysis, and extend it to include broader collection and use of such data (including by researchers) to combat cyber threats. This new work will involve examining existing statutes (state and federal), reviewing parliamentary documents and analysing relevant case law. Cross-jurisdictional legal issues will also be explored by examining the co-operative relationships and memorandums of understanding between nations/organisations. Finally, a review of scholarly materials will elucidate any legal implications in comparable contexts.

Finally, the project will draw together the key points emerging from analysis of ethical and legal materials to offer practical recommendations that we anticipate will provide researchers and practitioners a path forward when navigating this novel, yet challenging, terrain.

This research project is funded by the Cybersecurity Cooperative Research Centre.

Adelaide Lab researchers and contacts

Associate Professor Russell Brewer
Dr Colette Langos
Dr Katie Logos
Ms Peta Spryou

RESEARCH PARTNERS

Associate Professor Bryce Westlake, San Jose State University