Privacy commissioner challenges ruling journalist can't access own phone data

Administrative appeals tribunal had ruled that former Fairfax journalist Ben Grubb's mobile data, held by Telstra, was not considered 'personal information'

The privacy commissioner, Timothy Pilgrim, has launched a federal court challenge to a ruling that a journalist was not entitled to access parts of his personal mobile phone data.

The landmark challenge is believed to be the first time the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has sought to appeal a case before the federal court.