Happy Monday. Here’s some tech news to start your week with.
1. Changes to Aussie privacy laws
iTnews is reporting that on Saturday, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said the federal government was going to fast-track changes to Australia’s privacy laws which, if passed, would see fines for “repeated or serious” data breaches rise from $2.2 million to “up to” $50 million or 30 per cent of “adjusted” turnover. Dreyfus said current penalties for breached organisations were “seen as a cost of doing business” and therefore not a deterrent.
When Australians hand over their personal data they have a right to expect it will be protected.
Next week I will introduce legislation to make sure it is. pic.twitter.com/QyuvOXDMPM
— Mark Dreyfus (@MarkDreyfusKCMP) October 21, 2022
2. Commitment to reduce methane emissions
Still on the government and Canberra has confirmed Australia will sign up to a global pledge to reduce methane emissions, which, as the ABC is reporting, will not result any new taxes or levies. Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen on Sunday announced Australia would join more than 120 other nations which have already signed up to the voluntary pledge.
3. Neuralink show pushed to late November
Elon Musk pushed Neuralink’s “show and tell” event to November 30th (likely December 1 for us down under). As you can see in the tweet below, Musk didn’t provide any further details on what to expect. But as The Verge reminded us, last year, Musk’s brain implant company showed off a video of what appears to be a monkey playing Pong with its mind, so we might see something similar during next month’s event.
Neuralink show & tell now on Nov 30
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 23, 2022
4. More EV chargers for NSW
Good news for New South Welshman with electric vehicles – more than 500 EV chargers will be rolled out across the state over the next two years as part of a $40 million government bid to spur uptake of the technology. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, fast and ultra-fast chargers will be installed at 86 locations through Sydney’s suburbs, as well as more regional areas.
5. Big, large, giga digital camera
Now onto good news for fans of big things. As brought to our attention by TechCrunch, the world’s biggest digital camera is being constructed by astronomers that will image the distant universe with 3.2 gigapixel resolution. (A gigapixel is equivalent to 1,000 megapixels). That camera will be the workhorse for the Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s telescope, which has been in the works for about two decades, but is nearly complete.
BONUS ITEM: Ugh.
Have a good week, all.