Use of Wi-Fi network to surveil protest breached privacy

The University of Melbourne (UoM) breached Victoria’s Privacy and Data Protection Act when it used its wi-fi network to surveil students and staff holding a pro-Palestine protest last May, which could have resulted in a “significant breach of trust”, the state’s deputy information commissioner has found, reports Caitlin Cassidy for The Guardian.

The investigation, released on Wednesday, was prompted by media reports alleging UoM digitally tracked people at the sit-in to uncover potential misconduct.

The deputy commissioner found the university used a combination of wi-fi location data, student card photographs and CCTV footage to identify 22 students who failed to comply with orders to leave the university’s Arts West building on 20 May. The investigation found the university did not give adequate notice or justification for how the data would be used.
Full report on The Guardian site