Telecommunications and Internet

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In good news for consumers, complaints about phone and internet services decreased 33.4 per cent in the last financial year ending 30 June 2022. During this period, residential consumers and small businesses made 79,534 complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, highlighted in the Annual Report 2021-22 published today. This is a media release from Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman…

Read More TIO Annual report shows poor mobile coverage the most prominent issue for telco services

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The new ISO Standard ISO 22458 Consumer vulnerability – Requirements and guidelines for the design and delivery of inclusive service was developed by the international committee ISO/PC 311 Vulnerable consumers. This was written by Alistair Tegart, Former Engagement Manager at Standards Australia and published by SOCAP. Standards Australia’s committee CS-311 Vulnerable consumers worked on Australian input to the…

Read More Standard for responding to vulnerability

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Consumer think tank, the Consumer Policy Research Centre, today released research that found 83% of Australians have been negatively impacted by a website or app using harmful design features, known as dark patterns. This is a media release from the Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC). It was originally published on 8th June, 2022.  In its report, Duped by Design,…

Read More New protections needed to stop online designs that hurt consumers

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Consumers using online retail marketplaces such as eBay and Amazon “have little effective choice in the amount of data they share”, according to the latest report of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) Digital Platform Services Inquiry. This is an article from Katharine Kemp at The Conversation. It was originally published on 2nd May, 2022.  Consumers may benefit…

Read More ACCC says consumers need more choices about what online marketplaces are doing with their data

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The development of new upfront rules that force dominant digital platforms to treat their users fairly is the important next step in reforming Australia’s consumer protection laws, ACCC Chair Rod Sims said today. This is a media release from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC). It was originally published on 15th March, 2022.  Delivering the 2022 Ruby…

Read More New digital platform rules crucial next step in consumer law reform

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The release of the 2021 Regional Telecommunications Review holds promise for better connectivity for regional, rural and remote Australians, according to the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN). This is a media release from the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN). It was originally published on 15th February, 2022. The Regional Telecommunications Review is a tri-annual process which plays…

Read More ACCAN Welcomes 2021 Regional Telecommunications Review Findings

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Scamwatch is urging people to watch out for dating and romance scams after Australians reported losing a record $56 million last year, an increase of 44 per cent. This is a media release from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC). It was originally published on 14th February, 2022. Over 3,400 reports were received about dating and romance…

Read More Learn how to spot a romance scammer this Valentine’s Day

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The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman’s Quarter Two Complaints Report shows phone and internet complaints declined for the fifth consecutive period. This is a media release from the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman. It was originally published on 9th February, 2022. Residential consumers and small businesses made 18,386 complaints, a decrease of 14.2 per cent compared to the previous quarter, and 39.7…

Read More Phone and internet complaints decline for fifth consecutive period

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Following CHOICE’s 2020 investigation into Tinder’s discriminatory pricing practices in Australia, new research by Consumers International and the Mozilla Foundation has found that Tinder Plus users in several other countries are being unknowingly charged more based on their personal information.  This is a media release from CHOICE. It was originally published on 9th February, 2022. The research found that Tinder…

Read More New research finds Tinder Plus price discrimination is a worldwide issue: CHOICE releases open “love letter” asking Tinder Australia to stop unethical data use

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The Morrison Government is giving consumers more power to lower their internet and phone bills by expanding the Consumer Data Right to the telecommunications sector. This is a joint media release from The Hon Josh Frydenberg MP: Treasurer of the Commonwealth of Australia & The Hon Paul Fletcher MP: Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts &…

Read More More power to compare and switch telco providers and share finance data

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Prepared by CFA Executive Member Ian Jarratt, of Queensland Consumers Association. He can be reached at ijarratt@australiamail.com. The final report was handed to the Australian Government on 29 October 2021 and publicly released on 1 December 2021. The Government has not yet announced its response to the report. CFA and several member organisations participated in the…

Read More Productivity Commission’s Final Report on “Right To Repair” Released

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New research from the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) has revealed that almost three in four Australians agree that it needs to be easier to make a complaint and to get their issues resolved when dealing with digital platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, eBay, and Service NSW. This is a media release from the Australian Communications Consumer…

Read More New research finds nearly three-quarters of Australians want better complaints handling from digital platforms