Consumers International

Gerard Brody, Chair, Consumers' Federation of Australia: "There's a real value to consumer organisations. As consumer advocates, we see what's going on and we're able to present to government not only the problems, but also the experience, the insights, the connections and the research to help them with solutions."

False information, widespread political change, budgetary cuts. These are just some of mounting issues facing civil society in 2024 at a time when the role they play is needed more than ever. Next week, Consumers International joins discussions at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) to discuss the role of consumer organisations, the value…

Read More Consumers International Speaks With Intergovernmental Group of Experts for Consumer Protection Law and Policy

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23 April 2024 Last month we brought together a powerful cohort of consumer advocate groups, international organisations, business, government and civil society to call for Fair and Responsible AI on World Consumer Rights Day Friday March 15. AI is changing how millions of us experience the online world. Within just five days of the release of ChatGPT last…

Read More Global Experiment Reveals a ‘worrying margin of harm’ in AI Chatbots

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This week Consumers International launched a global campaign for transparent digital finance. Poor transparency has long been a problem in financial services, but now more than ever there are billions of consumers (1) using banks and other financial services and (2) using or connecting to these financial services digitally. Over mounting concern on both digital…

Read More Global Campaign for Transparent Digital Finance Launches

Consumers International World Consumer Rights Day 2024 FAIR AND RESPONSIBLE AI FOR CONSUMERS

It’s March 15th and time for World Consumer Rights Day once more, a day to raise global and local awareness of consumer rights, protection and empowerment. The theme selected this year by Consumers International (CI) is ‘Fair and responsible AI for consumers’. For Australian consumers, the Federal Government released an interim response to safe and…

Read More World Consumer Rights Day 2024: Fair and Responsible AI for Consumers

GLOBAL STATEMENT Stopping Online Scams Consumers International Congress 2023

As part of the 2023 Global Congress, Consumers International and members have launched a Global Statement to Stop Online Scams. As a member of Consumers International and as a consumer advocacy organisation, the Consumers’ Federation of Australia strongly supports this call to stop online scams. As Australia’s representative to Consumers International, CHOICE is a signature…

Read More CFA Supports Global Anti-Scam Statement and Coalition

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9 out of 10 Australians also support strong penalties for digital platforms who fail to detect and prevent scams.

“Tech giants such as Facebook, Instagram and Google are failing to prevent scammers from using their platforms to target victims, causing enormous amounts of harm to consumers globally. In Australia, losses reported to Scamwatch from scams on social media have increased to over $66 million in 2023, an increase of more than 40% on the same time period in 2022,” says CHOICE Senior Campaigns and Policy Adviser, Alex Soderlund. 

Read More Global Consumer Alliance Urges Governments to Require Tech Companies to Protect People from Scams

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A report from our Consumers International Global Congress representative, Deputy Chair Chandni Gupta Final day of the 2023 Global Congress and the pace remained fast and fascinating with enlightening presentations with a key focus on sustainability to close off the conference. Below are some highlights from Day 3. Sustainable appliances for a green transition An…

Read More Building a Resilient Future – Day 3 of Consumers International Global Congress

Consumers International Global Congress; Nairobi, Kenya 06-08 December 2023; Building a resilient future for consumers; supporting partners COMESA Competition Commission and Competition Authority of Kenya

Today the Congress was abuzz with passionate consumer advocates, experts and regulators taking a deep dive into everything from scams and AI to greenwashing and digital wallets. But at the heart of so many discussions today was the value of and the critical need to collaborate. It was recognised that collaboration both within and across borders is needed to help raise the voices on key issues impacting consumers and to learn from one another. Below are some of the highlights from Day 2!

Read More C is for Collaboration – Day 2 of Consumers International Global Congress

Consumers International Global Congress; Nairobi, Kenya 06-08 December 2023; Building a resilient future for consumers; supporting partners COMESA Competition Commission and Competition Authority of Kenya

The Consumers International Congress 2023, held in beautiful Nairobi, Kenya, kicked off its first day with a stellar consumer protection agenda. Officially opened by the Deputy President of Kenya, His Excellency Rigathi Gachagua, E.G.H, the theme of building a resilient future for consumers was well and truly alive through the panel discussions and the conversations throughout the day. Below are some of the highlights from an action-packed Day 1!

Read More Fair, Safe and Sustainable – Day 1 of Consumers International Global Congress

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Every year on March 15 the consumer movement celebrates?World Consumer Rights Day, raising global awareness?of consumer?rights, consumer protection and empowerment. Consumers International?is proud and privileged to coordinate this day of global collaboration,?with?200 consumer advocacy members in over 100 countries.

Read More World Consumer Rights Day 2024 – ‘Fair and responsible AI for consumers’

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This month Consumers International’s (CI) update on the digital world covered some interesting developments and research in the consumer world including CHOICE’s recent article on facial recognition technology (FRT) used in half of Australia’s stadiums (found here), and the recent Members Connect series on building consumer trust in generative AI, whose panel included ETDA Thailand and the BEUC.

But perhaps the most exciting updates were the ones from the United States of America and the European Union.

Read More Consumers International Digital Update: Cyber Trust Mark and Personalised Pricing

Consumers International Global Congress; Nairobi, Kenya 06-08 December 2023; Building a resilient future for consumers; supporting partners COMESA Competition Commission and Competition Authority of Kenya

Registrations have now opened for Consumers International’s (CI) 2023 Global Congress, this year held on 6th-8th December in Nairobi, Kenya.

This years congress is built around the theme ‘Consumers Together – Building a Resilient Future’.

Read More Registration Open for 2023 Consumers International Global Congress