The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report
-
23 July 2012, 230712, ASIO, government agencies, ISP, Social Media, surveillance
Surveillance and Intelligence-gathering
Q. The Government has recently proposed a number of amendments to the laws governing surveillance and intelligence-gathering. Do you support or oppose the following suggestions?
Total support
Total oppose
Strongly support
Support
Oppose
Strongly oppose
Don’t know
Extend the power of government agencies to intercept communications from major to lesser offences 40%
37%
9%
31%
21%
16%
24%
Enable government agencies to intercept messages on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook 40%
46%
10%
30%
26%
20%
14%
Require internet service providers to keep a record of every customers’ internet usage for 2 years 28%
57%
7%
21%
26%
31%
14%
Making it an offence not to assist government agencies with decryption e.g. reveal your password 26%
60%
8%
18%
28%
32%
15%
Allowing ASIO agents to plant or destroy material on computers if they have a warrant 27%
52%
7%
20%
23%
29%
20%
A majority of respondents were opposed to making it an offence not to assist government agencies with decryption e.g. reveal your password (60%), requiring internet service providers to keep a record of every customers’ internet usage for 2 years (57%) and allowing ASIO agents to plant or destroy material on computers if they have a warrant (52%).
They were more evenly divided over enabling government agencies to intercept messages on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook (40% support/46% oppose) and extending the power of government agencies to intercept communications from major to lesser offences (40% support/37% oppose).
-
Essential Report, Facebook, Polling, polls, Social Media, Twitter
Banning Use of Social Media
Q. The British Prime Minister has suggested that in situations such as the recent riots, people should be banned from using social media such as Twitter and Facebook. Do you agree or disagree.
Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens Aged 18-34 Aged 35-54 Aged 55+ Use frequently Use sometimes Use occasionally Never use Total agree 47% 51% 51% 22% 29% 52% 62% 27% 55% 52% 64% Total disagree 39% 38% 36% 65% 59% 31% 29% 62% 31% 31% 25% Strongly agree 24% 25% 26% 5% 10% 28% 35% 14% 16% 24% 40% Agree 23% 26% 25% 17% 19% 24% 27% 13% 39% 28% 24% Disagree 24% 25% 21% 34% 30% 24% 20% 35% 20% 21% 17% Strongly disagree 15% 13% 15% 31% 29% 9% 9% 27% 11% 10% 8% Don’t know 13% 11% 13% 13% 13% 16% 9% 10% 13% 16% 11% 47% agreed with the suggestion to ban people from using social media in particular situations such as the recent UK riots and 39% disagreed.
Those most likely to disagree were Greens voters (65%) and people aged 18-34 (59%).
Responses were strongly associated with usage. 62% of those who use social media frequently disagreed compared to 31% of those who use sometimes/occasionally and 25% of those who never use.
-
Essential Report, Facebook, Polling, polls, Social Media, Twitter
Use of Social Media
Q. How often do you personally use social media such as Twitter and Facebook?
Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens Aged 18-34 Aged 35-54 Aged 55+ Frequently 34% 34% 30% 48% 58% 27% 18% Sometimes 17% 19% 16% 22% 19% 19% 11% Occasionally 18% 12% 21% 14% 10% 21% 22% Never 30% 33% 32% 15% 10% 32% 49% Don’t know 1% 2% * 1% 3% 1% – 34% said they used social media frequently, 17% sometimes and 18% occasionally. 30% said they never used social media.
By age, 58% of 18-34’s said they used it frequently compared to only 18% of over 55’s. 41% of women used it frequently compared to 28% of men. Those on higher incomes were also more likely to use social media frequently – 37% of those earning $1,000+pw compared to 27% of those earning under $1,000pw.
-
#politicotragicmediawankersphere, Campaigning, Facebook, Jackie Woods, Social Media, Twitter
Welcome to the #politicotragicmedia wankersphere. How can we help?
US Ambassador Jeffrey Bleich was first up, and with him his security detail – two clean-cut, serious, suited dudes scanning the room during Bleich’s presentation on the Obama presidential campaign’s pioneering use of social media.
The dudes didn’t have much to worry about with this crowd, the only real and present dangers being excessively snarky tweets or a tussle over an ipad charger.
The Media 140 ‘Oz Politics’ conference at Old Parliament House last week brought together Twitter commentators, activists, journalists, academics and politicians, collectively known as the #politicotragicmediawankersphere.
-
#ausvotes, Election, Social Media
The Revolution will be Socialised
The election media landscape has changed forever, the revolution will not be televised.
Gone are the days of one-way election communications, the traditional print and television campaigns of the major parties may have become larger, slicker and more targeted, but they are still functions of the throw it at the wall and see what sticks mentality.
Survivor, Masterchef, Australian Idol started the participation craving, the web and social media gave it a voice. We all want to be heard, to judge and to vote someone off this island. We want to sit on our couches watching news channels or political commentary shows, not talking to our (un)loved ones, but tweeting out live commentary to our new family, the masses. #justsayin
The next day watercooler conversation is dead, colleagues, friends and networks have already torn every issue apart, judge, jury and executioner. And shouldn’t it have always been this way? Comments »
-
Gillard, hashtags, kevin rudd, Social Media, spill, stuart gillies
#spill paves the way for a more involved election with 24hr news and social media.
7pm hungry.
I, like many other ‘Gen Y-can’t-I-do-everything-on-my-iPhone?’, first heard about the political events of last week while browsing my iphone for twitter, news feeds and facebook status updates, in front of the slower to react television on Wednesday night.
And feed we did.
As soon as the door shut on the then Prime Minister’s office, social networks were abuzz with the thought of a coup, thousands of tweeps all across Australia were glued to their 140 character evening dinner, with each and all sharing their pointed opinion on the ensuing #spill.
24hr news was being fed from all of this online action, with sky news reporters constantly taking advice and proclaiming news from their iphone instant news features, SMS and Twitter.
Pass the buttered corn. Comments »