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Federal Government releases report into age verification trials
On 31 August 2025, the Australian Government published the Final Report (Report) on the Age Assurance Technology Trial (Trial). Conducted by the independent Age Check Certification Scheme (ACCS), the Trial offers insights into the technical feasibility, privacy implications, and operational deployment capabilities of various age assurance technologies. While the Report explicitly states it is neutral…
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Australians soon facing age checks when viewing adult websites
On 9 September 2025, the eSafety Commissioner, Mrs Julie Inman Grant (Commissioner), registered six (6) new codes (New Codes) under the Online Safety Act 2021(Cth) (Online Safety Act) aimed at protecting children from the “clear and present” dangers of harmful AI chatbots and other online adult content. On 9 March 2026, these New Codes will…
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Claude AI agrees to pay US $1.5B to settle copyright class action
Several authors commenced class action lawsuit against Claude AI (Anthropic) in the San Francisco District Court. The authors allege Anthropic infringed their copyright by using millions of pirated and purchased books to train its artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, Claude AI. Anthropic has agreed to settle the class action approximately $1.5 billion US dollars, avoiding further…
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Federal Government publishes 102-page AI Technical Standard
On 31 July 2025, the Australian Government’s Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) published a 102-page AI Technical Standard (AI Standard) to promote responsible AI use by public sector entities and their staff (Entities). In a media release, DTA’s General Manager Lucy Poole explained that the AI Standard is “designed to integrate with what agencies already do”…
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Productivity Commission recommends AI copyright exception
The Australian Government Productivity Commission (Commission) released an interim report on 5 August 2025 titled ‘harnessing data and digital technology’ (Report). The Report was in response to Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ request for the Commission to identify priority reforms related to “the Government’s productivity growth agenda”.[1] The Report stated that the Government’s focus should be on…
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Evidence of economic loss required in defamation cases
Australian Security Academy Pty Ltd v Australasian Institute of Chartered Loss Adjusters Pty Ltd (No 2) [2025] FCA 924 (Australian Security Academy) involved alleged defamatory imputations against Australian Security Academy Pty Ltd (Applicant) by the Australian Institute of Chartered Loss Adjusters Pty Ltd (Respondent). The decision highlights that no defamatory imputations will exist where no…
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Malcolm Burrows on ABC’s “Legal Eagles” segment – artificial intelligence and copyright law
On 20 August 2025, Malcolm Burrows appeared live on Katherine Feeney’s ABC Radio program, “Legal Eagles” as the Technology and Intellectual Property Lawyer to discuss legal issues associated with the adoption of artificial intelligence and its’ intersection with copyright law.
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Apple and Google misused market power to monopolise app stores
On 12 August 2025, Justice Beach of the Federal Court of Australia (Court) delivered four (4) landmark judgments. The decisions of Epic Games, Inc & Anor v Apple Inc & Anor (EG v Apple) and Epic Games, Inc & Anor v Google LLC & Ors (EG v Google), together the (EG Cases), alongside Anthony &…
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What is a concise statement?
A concise statement is a brief, plain language document, often drafted in narrative form, used by the Federal Court of Australia (Federal Court) to ‘triage’ a case.[1] Concise statements were introduced as part of the Federal Courts Commercial and Corporations Practice Note (Practice Note), which came into effect on 25 October 2016. Its stated purpose…
