#162 Pixelated privacy - the state of online tracking and advertising with Emma Blackmore

As the government finalises its tranche 2 reforms to the Privacy Act, the Privacy Commissioner is forging ahead with a crack-down on privacy-invasive online tracking and advertising. In this episode, Jordan sits down with Emma Blackmore to decode the OAIC's regulatory focus on 'pixels', what the recent determinations against Monash IVF and Medmate mean for organisations and how they sit alongside the coming reform. 

Tracking tech can be complicated, but the message is simple - targeted online advertising is subject to the Privacy Act, and organisations need to review their cookie and pixel tracking settings to make sure they comply.

Emma is a Principal at ctrl:cyber, and our in-house expert on privacy and digital marketing. Emma sits on the IAPP ANZ Advisory board and prior to joining ctrl, led the privacy program at Australia Post.

Links

OAIC's 2024 guidance on pixels and privacy https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-guidance-for-organisations-and-government-agencies/organisations/tracking-pixels-and-privacy-obligations

OAIC's report on the use of tracking pixels by 50 healthcare providers https://www.oaic.gov.au/news/blog/your-life,-pixelated-how-tracking-pixels-watch-your-every-click

OAIC's determinations against Monash IVF and Medmate https://www.oaic.gov.au/news/media-centre/privacy-commissioner-finds-privacy-breaches-in-third-party-tracking-pixel-investigation

Australian Community Attitudes to Privacy Survey 2026 (OAIC) https://www.oaic.gov.au/engage-with-us/research-and-training-resources/research/australian-community-attitudes-to-privacy-survey/australian-community-attitudes-to-privacy-survey2026

'For Your Information', the 2008 Australian Law Reform Commission report https://www.alrc.gov.au/publication/for-your-information-australian-privacy-law-and-practice-alrc-report-108/

Our old episode on targeted advertising as the grand bargain or original sin of the internet (episode #75) https://open.spotify.com/episode/1H0wBEoktwukgt6u5NtKK1?si=1b4ba7f610314f9e

Credits
Editing and post-production by Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) www.eastcoaststudio.com.au