On 4 December 2017, the Treasurer, the Hon Scott Morrison MP, directed the ACCC to conduct an inquiry into digital platforms. The inquiry will look at the effect that digital search engines, social media platforms and other digital content aggregation platforms have on competition in media and advertising services markets. In particular, the inquiry will look at the impact of digital platforms on the supply of news and journalistic content and the implications of this for media content creators, advertisers and consumers.
An issues paper for the inquiry was released on 26 February 2018. Submissions were due on 3 April 2018. Public versions of the submissions received by the ACCC can be accessed via the 'Submissions May 2018' link below.
The preliminary report is to be submitted to the Treasurer by 3 December 2018, with a final report due by 3 June 2019.
Forums
The ACCC held two public forums in May:
- a public forum for consumers on the evening of Tuesday 29 May in Melbourne
- a public forum for advertisers, including businesses, on the evening of Wednesday 30 May in Melbourne.
A public forum for journalists will be held in August in Sydney. Further details will be available on this page.
People can also share their views about digital platforms like Facebook and Google online. To share your views online, visit: Digital platforms inquiry forums.
Timeline
| Stages | Date |
|---|---|
| Terms of reference | 4 December 2017 |
| Issues paper | 26 February 2018 |
| Submissions May 2018 | 3 May 2018 |
| Forums | 15 May 2018 |