Data relating to people who have been blocked from interacting on ABS-related Facebook content

David Crafti made this Freedom of Information request to Australian Bureau of Statistics

This request has been closed to new correspondence from the public body. Contact us if you think it ought be re-opened.

Australian Bureau of Statistics did not have the information requested.

Dear Australian Bureau of Statistics,

I have recently been blocked from interacting on posts made by the Census Australia page on Facebook, and all my previous posts and likes have been deleted.

I think this is both a form of censorship, and an abridgement of by right to procedural fairness in the making of the decision to block me.

As such, I would like any documents that are related to the decision making process for blocking, or otherwise suppressing interactions with, people on ABS-related pages, including Census Australia, as well as details of Facebook accounts that have been affected, and the content of the posts as it existed before it was deleted or hidden.

Yours faithfully,

David Crafti

Emily Covington, Australian Bureau of Statistics

3 Attachments

Dear Mr Crafti,

I refer to your application in which you seek access to documents under
the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (ABS reference FOI 201617/12)
regarding:

o the decision making process for blocking, or otherwise suppressing
interactions with people on ABS-related pages, including Census
Australia
o details of Facebook accounts that have been affected
o the content of the posts as it existed before it was deleted or
hidden.

Your request was received by the ABS on 9 August 2016 and the 30 days
statutory period for processing your request commenced from that date.  If
this request will take longer than 30 days to process, we will contact you
to negotiate an extension of time.

You will be notified of any charges in accordance with the Freedom of
Information (Fees and Charges) Regulations, should they apply, in relation
to your request as soon as practicable.

Kind Regards

FOI Contact Officer

Australian Bureau of Statistics

(P) (02) 6252 7203

(E) [1][ABS request email]   (W)  [2]www.abs.gov.au

[3]Inactive hide details for David Crafti ---09/08/2016 02:09:33
PM---David Crafti <[FOI #2111 email]>David
Crafti ---09/08/2016 02:09:33 PM---David Crafti
<[FOI #2111 email]>

*
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David Crafti 09/08/2016 02:09 PM
<[FOI #2111 email]>
Send To FOI requests at ABS <[ABS request email]>,
cc

Freedom of Information request - Data relating to people who
Subject have been blocked from interacting on ABS-related Facebook
content[4]Policy & legislation WDB

Protective Mark

Categories Freedom of Information\Requests

Visibility Limited Readers

Wolfgang Hertel/Staff/ABS, Policy and Legislation, ELG, SMG,
Christine Williams/Staff/ABS, Duncan Young/Staff/ABS, Jenny
Telford/Staff/ABS, Michelle S Howe/Staff/ABS, Mark
Hindle/Staff/ABS, Tasma Vyver/Staff/ABS, Andrew
Editors Bell/Staff/ABS, Juanita Pettit/Staff/ABS, Lucy
Jones/Staff/ABS, Andrew Begg/Staff/ABS, Kathy
Dawes/Staff/ABS, Kathy Mudford/Staff/ABS, Emma
O'Rourke/Staff/ABS, Caroline Blink/Staff/ABS, Keelie
Williams/Staff/ABS, Emily Covington/Staff/ABS

Wolfgang Hertel/Staff/ABS, Policy and Legislation, ELG, SMG,
Christine Williams/Staff/ABS, Duncan Young/Staff/ABS, Jenny
Telford/Staff/ABS, Michelle S Howe/Staff/ABS, Mark
Hindle/Staff/ABS, Tasma Vyver/Staff/ABS, Andrew
Readers Bell/Staff/ABS, Juanita Pettit/Staff/ABS, Lucy
Jones/Staff/ABS, Andrew Begg/Staff/ABS, Kathy
Dawes/Staff/ABS, Kathy Mudford/Staff/ABS, Emma
O'Rourke/Staff/ABS, Caroline Blink/Staff/ABS, Keelie
Williams/Staff/ABS, Emily Covington/Staff/ABS

Last modified 10/08/2016 09:32:13 PM  By  Wolfgang Hertel/Staff/ABS

Document Id DCOO-ACN6XP

     Dear Australian Bureau of Statistics,
   
    I have recently been blocked from interacting on posts made by the
    Census Australia page on Facebook, and all my previous posts and
    likes have been deleted.
   
    I think this is both a form of censorship, and an abridgement of by
    right to procedural fairness in the making of the decision to block
    me.
   
    As such, I would like any documents that are related to the
    decision making process for blocking, or otherwise suppressing
    interactions with, people on ABS-related pages, including Census
    Australia, as well as details of Facebook accounts that have been
    affected, and the content of the posts as it existed before it was
    deleted or hidden.
   
    Yours faithfully,
   
    David Crafti
   
    -------------------------------------------------------------------
   
    Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
    [FOI #2111 email]
   
    Is [ABS request email] the wrong address for Freedom of
    Information requests to Australian Bureau of Statistics? If so,
    please contact us using this form:
    [5]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
   
    This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know.
    This message and any reply that you make will be published on the
    internet. More information on how Right to Know works can be found
    at:
    [6]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...
   
    If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your
    web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
   
   
    -------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.abs.gov.au/
4. file:///tmp/Notes:/DomCO1510/CA257B2800193111/F54534119E524D36CA256D4800227591/3C56F257F23A557ECA25800A001C54D7
5. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
6. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

Emily Covington, Australian Bureau of Statistics

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Crafti

In response to your FOI request received on 9  August 2016, please find
attached the formal response from the ABS.

(See attached file: FOI 20161712_Decision letter.pdf)

Should you have any questions regarding this please feel free to contact
the ABS FOI Contact Officer on: 02 6252 7203 or email:
[1][ABS request email].

Kind Regards,

FOI Contact Officer

Australian Bureau of Statistics

(P) (02) 6252 7203

(E) [2][ABS request email]   (W)  [3]www.abs.gov.au

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[ABS request email]
2. mailto:[email address]
3. http://www.abs.gov.au/

Dear Emily Covington,

Firstly, the Census Australia page promoted posts so that they appeared in people's news feeds in a way that means people, myself included, never actually visited the page, and therefore were never informed of "house rules".

Secondly, I did not do anything that could reasonably be considered breaking the rules. The closest I assume it would come would be "...please don't post ongoing misinformation about the Census..."

Your response has not actually answered my request around information regarding the decision-making process. It has merely posted vague guidelines.

There was no warning given. There was no explanation of what about my posts could have been considered misinformation. There was no right to object or appeal.

Somebody decided to ban me, and I presume others as well. My request is for the decision making process they followed in order to reach that conclusion.

There has also been no notice regarding for how long the ban will exist.

As government services move to social media, it is critical that natural justice and due process is maintained. It is not enough that just because a person is able to click a button, that they should be able to do so with no oversight or accountability.

Please review this decision in light of the context I have provided, and provide the reasonable basis on which the decision to ban me was made.

Yours sincerely,

David Crafti

Emily Covington, Australian Bureau of Statistics

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Crafti

Thank you for your email below. Can you please confirm if you are seeking
a review of the FOI decision, or if you are wanting more information
outside the FOI Act regarding the banning decision. If you are wanting
more information about the banning decision pleases contact the Freedom of
Information Officer on 6252 7203 in the first instance.  

Kind Regards

FOI Contact Officer

Policy, Legislation and Assurance  |  Governance and Parliamentary Liaison
Branch  |  Australian Bureau of Statistics

(P) (02) 6252 7203  (E) [1][ABS request email] (W) 
[2]www.abs.gov.au

The [3]ABS Privacy Policy outlines how the ABS handles any personal
information that you provide to us.

[4]Inactive hide details for David Crafti ---08/09/2016 04:17:45 PM---Dear
Emily Covington, Firstly, the Census Australia page proDavid Crafti
---08/09/2016 04:17:45 PM---Dear Emily Covington, Firstly, the Census
Australia page promoted posts so that they appeared in peo

From: David Crafti <[FOI #2111 email]>
To: Emily Covington <[email address]>,
Date: 08/09/2016 04:17 PM
Subject: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Data relating
to people who have been blocked from interacting on ABS-related Facebook
content

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Emily Covington,

Firstly, the Census Australia page promoted posts so that they appeared in
people's news feeds in a way that means people, myself included, never
actually visited the page, and therefore were never informed of "house
rules".

Secondly, I did not do anything that could reasonably be considered
breaking the rules. The closest I assume it would come would be "...please
don't post ongoing misinformation about the Census..."

Your response has not actually answered my request around information
regarding the decision-making process. It has merely posted vague
guidelines.

There was no warning given. There was no explanation of what about my
posts could have been considered misinformation. There was no right to
object or appeal.

Somebody decided to ban me, and I presume others as well. My request is
for the decision making process they followed in order to reach that
conclusion.

There has also been no notice regarding for how long the ban will exist.

As government services move to social media, it is critical that natural
justice and due process is maintained. It is not enough that just because
a person is able to click a button, that they should be able to do so with
no oversight or accountability.

Please review this decision in light of the context I have provided, and
provide the reasonable basis on which the decision to ban me was made.

Yours sincerely,

David Crafti

show quoted sections

Dear Emily Covington,

I am seeking a review, as the response did not address my request.

Yours sincerely,

David Crafti

Emily Covington, Australian Bureau of Statistics

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Crafti,

Thank you for your reply.

Your request is now going through our internal review process and you will
be notified once a decision has been made.

Kind Regards

FOI Contact Officer

Policy, Legislation and Assurance  |  Governance and Parliamentary Liaison
Branch  |  Australian Bureau of Statistics

(P) (02) 6252 7203  (E) [1][ABS request email] (W) 
[2]www.abs.gov.au

The [3]ABS Privacy Policy outlines how the ABS handles any personal
information that you provide to us.

[4]Inactive hide details for David Crafti ---15/09/2016 10:17:40 PM---Dear
Emily Covington, I am seeking a review, as the responseDavid Crafti
---15/09/2016 10:17:40 PM---Dear Emily Covington, I am seeking a review,
as the response did not address my request.

From: David Crafti <[FOI #2111 email]>
To: Emily Covington <[email address]>,
Date: 15/09/2016 10:17 PM
Subject: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Data relating
to people who have been blocked from interacting on ABS-related Facebook
content

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Emily Covington,

I am seeking a review, as the response did not address my request.

Yours sincerely,

David Crafti

show quoted sections

Wolfgang Hertel, Australian Bureau of Statistics

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Crafti

In response to your application of 15 September 2016 for an internal
review of the decision made by Ms Williams on the 8 September, please find
attached the formal response from the ABS.

If you have any queries on this matter please contact the ABS FOI Contact
Officer at [1][ABS request email] or on (02) 6252 7203.

(See attached file: 201617-12 - Internal Review Response.pdf)

Kind Regards

FOI Contact Officer

Australian Bureau of Statistics 

(P) (02) 6252 7203 

(E) [2][ABS request email]   (W)  [3]www.abs.gov.au

The [4]ABS Privacy Policy outlines how the ABS handles any personal
information that you provide to us.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[ABS request email]
2. mailto:[email address]
3. http://www.abs.gov.au/
4. http://www.abs.gov.au/privacy