Real estate agents under the microscope in Australian-first privacy ‘compliance sweep’

Businesses including pubs and car rental companies targeted to check if they use power asymmetry' to gather personal data and keep it too long

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Real estate agencies who ask for phone numbers at open houses, car dealerships that keep driver licences on file, and pubs and bars that scan IDs for entry will be targeted by the privacy regulator in its first compliance sweep" of dozens of businesses.

The crackdown by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner could see businesses fined up to $66,000 if their privacy policies fail to meet legal standards.

Rental and property inspections.

Chemists and pharmacists who collect information for paperless receipts and medication provision.

Licensed venues that collect ID's for entry.

Pawnshops and secondhand dealers, and

Car rental companies and car dealerships that collect personal data for rentals or test drives.