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This series of articles elucidates the consequences of what limited access to information and the ever-growing spread of misinformation have on the most vulnerable groups of the society.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Imagine that you have just taken a life-threatening journey to a foreign country to seek asylum. Not only your boat has sunk in the middle of the ocean, but you have also been detained and transported to an island with minimal infrastructure to be essentially imprisoned, though you have not actually committed a crime. On top of this, the one and only means for you to keep in touch with your family and let them know you are alive, is taken away from you. Your mobile phone is, or was<\/em>, your lifeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\" — Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Claiming it to be a national security threat, and therefore a necessity to keep Australians safe, the Federal Government has introduced a Migration Amendment (Prohibiting Items in Immigration Detention Facilities) Bill 2020<\/a> that would give the Australian Border Force (ABF) authority to search immigrant detainees and seize items including mobile phones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Currently in the hands of the Senate, the proposed amendment to the law is strongly opposed by refugee advocates. Hashtag #NoPhoneNoLife circulates on Twitter and urges politicians to vote against this bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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All MP\u2019s who\u2019ll vote on taking mobiles from innocent refugees in detention should check your own phone first, if not your conscience

How many Zoom\u2019s? Photos of family? Past memories? How much is keeping in touch worth to you?

Are they not people as well?#NoPhonesNoLife<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/n3UDlqxIPN<\/a><\/p>— Craig Foster (@Craig_Foster) August 31, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote>