Policy by media release?

The national Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, has released -

new research which shows nearly one in six Australians have been a victim or known somebody who has been a victim of identity theft or misuse in the past six months. ... Nine in ten people are concerned or very concerned about identity theft and misuse

Be afraid, it seems, be very afraid!

The research involved an "independent online study" conducted by Di Marzio Research, involving 1200 people across Australia. (It is unclear whether that 1200 person cohort is distinct from the group described here, of concern given an 'online-only' sample is biased towards particular demographics.)

An independent observer might ask whether conclusions based on the study are seriously eroded by survey bias (a problematical survey population, flawed questions), definitional fuzziness and contentious interpretation of data. The answer to those question would be 'sorry, don't know'. The Public Relations unit in the Attorney-General's Department responded by email on 4 July that "Unfortunately the research you are referring to is not publicly available".

That unavailability (which I'll be testing with an FOI application) is indeed unfortunate, given that the research, according to the Minister, will be "used to help develop a new National Identity Security Strategy", outlined here and featuring much criticised initiatives such as the Documentation Verification Service (DVS).

Overall, the Minister has provided a rather fatuous media release tied to research results that are out of kilter with independent Australian and overseas studies of the prevalence, seriousness and shape of identity offences. Poor research potentially leads to (or merely legitimates) poor policy development and ineffective policy implementation. Non-release of the actual research (as distinct from vague claims in a media release) seems at odds with the Government's recurrently stated commitment to transparency and ready community access to government information.

The Attorney-General comments that "It's clear from these results that there is real concern in the Australian community about identity theft and misuse". There is unfortunately no indication of whether that concern is misplaced. Is the Attorney-General feeding a low-grade moral panic? Should we be cautious in using terms such as "identity Theft", which may mean different things to different people?

He states that -

As technology evolves and people undertake more business and transactions online, the risk of identity theft increases.

This week, the Government introduced new legislation into Parliament to strengthen cyber security laws and enhance Australia's ability to combat international cyber crime.

In the last six months alone, Australia's Computer Emergency Response Team has alerted Australian businesses to more than a quarter of a million pieces of stolen information such as passwords and account details, allowing them to take steps to protect their systems and their customers.

The survey also revealed that the majority of identity theft or misuse occurred over the Internet (58%), or through the loss of a credit or debit card (30%). Stolen identity information was primarily used to purchase goods or services (55%) or to obtain finance, credit or a loan (26%).

In addition, identity crime as both a key enabler to other crime types and as a crime in its own right is identified as a priority organised crime risk in the Organised Crime Threat Assessment.

Justice Minister O'Connor got into the act, commenting that the survey also showed 60% of people believe there is a growing risk of information about their identity being stolen. 60% of people - depending on which survey you deploy - believe that Elvis is flipping burgers in Bondi. It is a shame that the Minister didn't go beyond an expression of what people believe (or are claimed to believe) to unpack what is actually taking place.

He comments that -

There are simple steps that people can take to protect their identity online including the use of strong passwords and access control, being aware of how much personal information you are posting on public sites and never clicking a link or opening an attachment from someone you don't know or a source you don't trust.

Other useful Australian Government resources to help people protect their identity including Protecting Yourself Online - What Everyone Needs to Know and Budd:e Cyber Security Education Package for Australian primary and secondary school students.

It's redolent of the fridge magnet response to 9/11 last decade ... media-worthy but arguably not very effective. O'Connor went on to explain that -

Identity security is a shared responsibility and these resources demonstrate how the public and private sectors can work together towards helping Australians keep their identities safe online and offline.

The Government has developed a number of resources to help people understand the implications of identity theft and misuse, including Protecting your Identity and Lost, Stolen or Found Identity Documents.

These products provide practical strategies on how individuals can protect themselves from becoming victims of identity theft and what to do if they become a victim of this crime.

He says -

There are simple steps that people can take to protect their identity online including the use of strong passwords and access control, being aware of how much personal information you are posting on public sites and never clicking a link or opening an attachment from someone you don't know or a source you don't trust

Given that you can never be too devoted to law & order, O'Connor states that -

Serious and organised crime is costing Australia up to $15 billion every year, and identity crime is used by organised criminal groups to further their illicit activity.

The Government has made combating identity crime a key plank in the Commonwealth Organised Crime Response Plan, recognising that this offence is a gateway to other serious offending.

Coordinated cross-agency action under the Response Plan is focussed on disrupting and defeating the criminal elements conducting the crime and the methodologies they are using, while also developing prevention measures to protect the community.

Let's not dwell on questions about the costing of "serious and organised crime" or whether many people in fact pass through the gateway to other serious offending.