Is Labor going to roll over for big tech – or will it protect the rights of everyday Australians? | Holly Rankin

Every family photo you ever posted would be fair game for AI companies unless you choose to opt out Leaked documents from a government proposal show that the Albanese government is considering reversing the fundamental rights of Australians under copyright law. The proposal refers to an “opt-out model”. This would give AI companies permission to train on the open internet here in Australia. Every family photo you ever posted, every small business website, every website would be fair game for AI companies unless you choose to opt out. Continue reading...

Proposal undermines user consent and copyright

The proposal to allow AI companies to train on all publicly available online content by default, including personal photos and small business sites, may undermine individual and business rights without explicit consent, posing material concerns about privacy and control over personal data. However, the opt-out provision somewhat mitigates total loss of rights, and the evidence is based on leaked government proposals rather than enacted policy.

This describes a proposed policy shift toward opt-out AI training rights, which would weaken individual control over personal data and content. The claim rests on leaked documents and is framed as advocacy against the proposal, so evidence is indirect and speculative about final policy outcome.

The government proposal would allow AI companies to use Australian citizens' data, including personal photos and small business websites, for training without explicit consent. This reversal of copyright protections and the shift to an opt-out model represent a significant erosion of individual rights regarding personal data and intellectual property.

The proposed opt-out model would allow AI companies to use public internet content without explicit consent. This could lead to privacy concerns and misuse of personal data. The opt-out nature means users must actively choose to protect their data, which may not be feasible for all individuals.

SOURCE     The Guardian: Artificial Intelligence (tier 1)
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DOCUMENT   8dd33739-ff40-4f70-8beb-4badfd52d11a
           https://theguardian.com/australia-news/commentisfree/2026/sep/16/labor-ai-big-tech-australia-rights-consent-copyright-law-opt-out
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EVIDENCE   2 extracted excerpts
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MODEL RUN  5 runs, methodology 1.0.1
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SCORE      -62  (Adverse)
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CONFIDENCE 75%