ACCC welcomes comprehensive response to Digital Platform Inquiry

The ACCC has today welcomed the Australian Government’s commitment to adopting the key recommendations from its Digital Platforms Inquiry, which will help address the impact of digital platforms on Australian consumers, business and society.

The Government’s immediate commitments and roadmap for reform address the ACCC’s main competition and consumer priorities, including concerns about privacy and the use of data.

The ACCC will continue its work in digital platform markets through the establishment of a permanent Digital Platforms Branch. This will enable continuous and consistent scrutiny of digital platforms, and current and future consumer and competition law enforcement cases.

In addition, the ACCC will start a new inquiry into the digital advertising tech supply chain, focusing on digital display ads.

“We are delighted that the Government has recognised the significance of the ACCC’s findings on the impact of the leading digital platforms on competition, consumer, privacy, media and advertising markets,” ACCC Chair Rod Sims said.

“We’re proud that Australia will now be one of the first countries in the world to develop such a comprehensive roadmap for broad reforms relating to digital platforms.”

“Google and Facebook have grown to have almost unfettered market power with significant impacts on consumers that must be addressed.”

The Government’s response includes tasking the ACCC to oversee the development of a new code that will address the inherent power imbalance between platforms and media companies in Australia.

The Government’s announcement also takes steps towards ensuring news media businesses and digital platforms operate on a more equal regulatory footing, and that local journalism is supported.

“The impact of digitalisation and digital platforms on the Australian media and, in particular, vitally important local and regional news and journalism has been stark and extremely concerning,” Mr Sims said.

“We are pleased that this is being addressed by the Government, along with the regulatory imbalance between the platforms and media businesses. An additional code of conduct will also be developed to address disinformation, which is a growing concern globally.”

“The ACCC will be working closely with the Prime Minister’s Digital Technology Taskforce, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, the Australian Communications and Media Authority and other agencies to ensure all of these reforms are addressed in a holistic way.”

“We will also continue our close engagement with overseas competition and consumer agencies on these important issues.”

ACCC findings and recommendations regarding the use of data, and privacy protections also form part of the Government’s plans, which include steps to ensure consumers are adequately informed about how their data is collected, and to provide consumers with greater control over how it is used.

“We’re also pleased with the work underway to make unfair contract terms illegal, and how an unfair trading prohibition could be adopted.”

“The world is waking up to the very real harms that stem from the power the digital platforms hold in our society and for our economy,” Mr Sims said.

“The good news is it is not too late to ensure Australian businesses, consumers and society can benefit from the advances offered by digital platforms, while ensuring appropriate safeguards are in place to address the negative impacts.”

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