New Metadata Laws Are Grabbing At Your Illegal Downloads

"Illegal downloads, piracy, cyber crimes, cyber security, all these matters, our ability to investigate them are absolutely pinned to retrieve and use metadata."

The country's top cops will "absolutely" pursue people illegal downloading TV shows, movies and music using new data retention laws.

Alan Porritt / AAP Images

Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull introduced the new laws on Thursday that would force telecommunications companies to collect and store all of Australia's metadata for two years.

Agencies like the Australian Federal Police and ASIO have repeatedly cited the need to access the metadata to crack porn rings, drug cases and to find missing persons.

AFP Commissioner Andrew Colvin was also asked whether he'd use the information to target people illegally downloading content.

Lukas Coch / AAP Images

"Absolutely. Any interface, any connection someone has over the internet, we need to identify the parties to that connection. Illegal downloads, piracy, cyber crimes, cyber security, all these matters our ability to investigate them are pinned to retrieve and use metadata," said Commissioner Colvin.

Clarifying Commissioner Colvin's comments, Mr Turnbull said people torrenting are usually targeted by production houses and studios, not often from security agencies.

But he admitted these laws would help bring penalties upon those who torrent, pirate and illegally download.

The government's data retention plans will now make its way through the committee process. It's a long way from the disastrous launch of the policy in August this year.

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