The ACCC has today published 57 submissions received from advertisers, consumers, digital platforms, journalists and media organisations as part of its digital platforms inquiry.

The submissions canvassed a wide range of issues, including the degree of market power held by the digital platforms, the digital advertising supply chain, and the use of news content by digital platforms, including Google and Facebook.

Submissions also detailed the impact of digital platforms on the quality and choice of news in Australia, and the extent to which consumers are aware of how their data is collected and used.

“We appreciate the effort organisations and consumers have put into the many thoughtful and helpful submissions we received. This feedback from news organisations, digital platforms, academics, advertisers, news consumers and social media users will help inform the ACCC as we conduct our inquiry,” ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said.

The ACCC will be holding public forums in the coming months, including:

  • A public forum for consumers on Tuesday 29 May in Melbourne, and
  • A public forum for businesses, including advertisers on Wednesday 30 May in Melbourne.

A public forum for journalists will also be held in Sydney in August.

“We encourage working journalists, consumers of news and advertisers to be part of our public forums. It’s vital that we hear from and understand the views of many voices interested in this inquiry,” Mr Sims said.

The ACCC will draw on a wide range of sources before outlining possible recommendations in its preliminary report for the inquiry, which will be provided to the Treasurer in December. These sources include submissions, information gathered at public forums, and data and documents obtained by the ACCC through its compulsory information gathering powers.

Background

Further information on the public forums will be available on the ACCC website at digital platforms inquiry soon. If you cannot attend in person, you can still have your say via an online form which will also be shortly available at the ACCC’s website.

The ACCC will publish a small number of additional submissions as well as a summary of responses to the ACCC’s consumer questionnaire, online later this month. The ACCC only publishes the public version of submissions.

In December 2017 the Australian Government directed the ACCC to undertake a public inquiry into the impact of digital platforms on competition in media and advertising services markets, in particular in relation to the supply of news and journalistic content.

The ACCC will provide a preliminary report to the Treasurer by 3 December 2018 and a final report by 3 June 2019.