If invalid, the metadata are retained in the draft repository, and error reports are sent to the providers by email.
But we and they, if they value their goodwill, should be much more interested in the security of retained metadata.
Similarly, under the government's original proposal, the type of metadata to be retained was going to be declared by regulation.
Morris told a technology conference on Sunday that the $400m scheme, under which Australians' metadata would be retained by internet service providers for up to two years, was essential to fight cybercrime and terrorism.
The attorney general, George Brandis, muddied the waters on Wednesday when he indicated the "metadata" to be retained by internet service providers (ISPs) for two years would include "the web address" of each site that a person visited.
They suggested that what was going on was really business as usual: metadata is already retained but what was needed was a "uniform standard", as some smaller companies do not store data for two years.
The new version also gives users full control over the size of the photos they upload and download, and photo metadata is now retained when users upload a photo to Microsoft.
In April this shiny new surveillance regime was also dealt a blow in UK courts — with judges ordering the government to amend the legislation to narrow how and why retained metadata could be accessed, giving ministers a deadline of November 1 to make the necessary changes.
But it would allow such metadata to be retained by telephone companies for a minimal period of time.
In its assessment of Australia, Freedom House noted recent changes to the Copyright Act that allow copyright owners to apply for ISP blocking, and last year's new metadata laws that require telecommunications companies to retain metadata of customers for two years.
No metadata surrounding communications is retained.
