Background
On 10 February 2020 the Australian Government directed the ACCC to conduct an inquiry into markets for the supply of digital platform services.
Digital platform services covered by this direction include internet search engine services, social media services, online private messaging services, digital content aggregation platform services, media referral services and electronic marketplace services.
The direction also covers digital advertising services supplied by digital platform service providers and the data practices of both digital platform service providers and data brokers.
The ACCC must provide the Treasurer with an interim report on the inquiry by 30 September 2020 and then further interim reports every 6 months until the inquiry concludes with a final report, to be provided to the Treasurer by 31 March 2025.
Scope of inquiry
Matters to be considered by the inquiry include:
- the intensity of competition in markets for the supply of digital platform services, with particular regard to the concentration of power, the behaviour of suppliers, mergers and acquisitions, barriers to entry or expansion and changes in the range of services offered by suppliers of digital platform services
- practices of suppliers in digital platform services markets which may result in consumer harm
- market trends that may affect the nature and characteristics of digital platform services
- developments in markets for the supply of digital platform services outside Australia.
Further details of the matters to be considered in the inquiry are provided in the Ministerial direction.
Updates
On 28 April 2023, the ACCC released the sixth interim report for the Digital Platform Services Inquiry, which examined social media services in Australia.
On 8 March 2023, the ACCC published an issues paper seeking views on the expanding ecosystems of digital platform providers in Australia, which will be the focus of the Digital Platform Services Inquiry’s seventh interim report. Submissions on the matters outlined in the issues paper are due by 5 April 2023.
On 11 November 2022, the ACCC released the fifth interim report for the Digital Platform Services inquiry. The ACCC has recommended a range of new measures to address harms from digital platforms to Australian consumers, small businesses and competition.
On 28 April 2022, the ACCC released the fourth interim report for the Digital Platform Services inquiry, which examined general online retail marketplaces. Previously, the ACCC has published stakeholder submissions to the issues paper and released two short surveys, inviting views from consumers and small business sellers.
On 28 October 2021, the ACCC released the third interim report of the Digital Platform Services Inquiry, which examined market dynamics and consumer choice screens in search services and web browsers.
Contact
Companies that would like to share their experience in these markets can email the ACCC at digitalmonitoring@accc.gov.au.
Other inquiries
The ACCC has conducted an 18-month inquiry into markets for the supply of digital advertising technology services and digital advertising agency services. The final report was published on 28 September 2021.