Federal Government Unveils IDLock Service And Sweeping Privacy Law Changes Targeting Smart Glasses And AI

The federal government is introducing a new myGov service called IDLock that will allow Australians to block, unblock and monitor the use of identity documents exposed by data breaches, alongside a broader package of privacy law changes targeting smart glasses and artificial intelligence.

Attorney-General, Michelle Rowland, is releasing draft legislation that covers the new identity protection service, a right to have personal information destroyed by social media and search companies, and measures designed to address privacy risks posed by emerging technologies.

“Australians deserve to have control over how their personal identity information, such as their driver licence or passport, is used to verify their identity online,” Rowland stated.

“As data breaches, scams and cyber-enabled crime continue to evolve, Australia’s approach must evolve with them.”

How IDLock Will Work

IDLock will be available through myGov and will allow people to block, unblock and monitor eligible identity documents used through the Document Verification Service. The aim is to let Australians act before stolen or exposed credentials are used to cause harm, rather than responding after the fact.

The service is being developed as a new way for people to access the protections of the Credential Protection Register, which was established by the Commonwealth in 2022 to prevent compromised identity documents from being used to fraudulently establish an individual’s identity.

Since late 2022, the register has blocked more than 830,000 fraudulent identity verification attempts, averaging around 18,000 blocked attempts each month.

“With the launch of IDLock, our government is taking the next step towards a stronger, more robust identity verification framework that expands the focus from responding after identity credentials have been compromised, to enabling Australians to protect themselves before identity crime occurs,” Rowland explained.

“Whether their driver licence details have been exposed in a data breach or they are concerned about scams and identity theft, IDLock will give Australians an accessible and simple way to have greater visibility, control and confidence in how their identity documents are used.”

IDLock will initially be made available to a small group of users for early access and testing later this year, ahead of a broader national rollout through myGov in 2027.

More information about identity verification services is available on the IDMatch website, while IDCARE offers support with scams, identity theft and cyber threats.

Privacy Laws To Address Smart Glasses And AI

The draft legislation also targets privacy risks created by newer technologies including smart glasses, which look like normal eyewear but can photograph or film what the user sees, potentially without the consent or knowledge of other people. The Greens have separately proposed laws that would ban the import of smart glasses for 12 months over privacy concerns.

The rise of AI has also prompted action, with tech companies feeding large volumes of data into their systems to train AI models with limited regard for people’s privacy or copyright.

Right To Erasure

The legislative package includes a right to erasure, which will allow people to ask social media and search companies to have their personal information destroyed rather than retained indefinitely. The right to erasure will not apply to media organisations publishing news articles.

Following the release of the draft laws, the government will consult with industry and aims to introduce the legislation into parliament by the end of 2026.

Last Updated on September 5, 2026 by Nick Ross