Forums
The ACCC is hosting public forums in May and August to discuss the impacts of digital platforms for consumers, advertisers (including small businesses), journalists and media organisations.
Advertising
Digital platforms inquiry submissions published
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 May 2018
The ACCC released an issues paper on 26 February 2018 seeking feedback on matters relevant to the inquiry. Submissions to the issues paper closed on 3 April 2018.
The ACCC and the Net Economy
Deputy Chair Delia Rickard discusses the ACCC's inquiry into digital platforms, and their impact on the media and advertising markets.
Issues paper
On 26 February 2018 the ACCC released an issues paper seeking feedback on issues relevant to its Digital Platforms Inquiry.
ACCC commences inquiry into digital platforms
The Federal Government has today formally directed the ACCC to commence an inquiry into digital platform providers such as Facebook and Google.
The ACCC’s inquiry will look at the effect that digital search engines, social media platforms and other digital content aggregation platforms are having on competition in media and advertising services markets.
“The ACCC goes into this inquiry with an open mind to and will study how digital platforms such as Facebook and Google operate to fully understand their influence in Australia,” ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said.
Terms of reference
On 28 November 2017, the Hon Scott Morrison MP, directed the ACCC to conduct an inquiry into digital platform providers.
Digital platforms inquiry
On 28 November 2017, the Hon Scott Morrison MP, directed the ACCC to conduct an inquiry into digital platform providers.
Finder.com.au penalised for misleading consumers
Hive Empire Pty Limited, trading as finder.com.au (Finder), has paid a penalty of $10,800 following the issue of an infringement notice by the ACCC for alleged false or misleading claims about the number of health insurance policies it compares.
The ACCC alleges that between February and May 2017, Finder represented on its website that its health insurance comparison service allowed consumers to “compare roughly 65,000 policies”, when the number of policies compared was substantially less than this.
Recordkeeping
Businesses trading in Australia are expected to be aware of their obligations under the ACL. It’s not a defence, or an excuse, to claim that you ‘didn’t know’ you were doing something wrong.