Data Archives - Page 3 of 6 - Consumers' Federation of Australia

3 November , 2023

ACCAN Calls for Consumer Protection Against Domestic and Family Violence

“ACCAN has unfortunately continued to receive extremely concerning reports of victim-survivors being asked to engage with perpetrators,” said ACCAN Deputy CEO, Dr Gareth Downing.

“Technology-facilitated abuse is becoming more commonplace, and it is unconscionable that Australians facing DFV risk being cut off from potentially life-saving channels of communication, due to poor practices and processes on the part of some in industry” said Dr Downing.

30 October , 2023

Initial Report and Recommendations from the First Nations Digital Inclusion Published

Digital inclusion is a deeply complex issue, with access, affordability and digital ability all playing a role in the extent to which First Nations people and communities are digitally included.

Digital inclusion enables a range of benefits, including supporting economic participation, access to government services, social connectedness, and enjoyment of entertainment and leisure activities.

25 October , 2023

Inquiry into the capability of law enforcement to respond to cybercrime

The Consumers’ Federation of Australia (CFA) was recently contacted (below) by and about the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement’s new inquiry into cybercrime. As per our new Strategic Plan, CFA will not be writing up a separate submission but will instead network and assist members and other consumer advocates and organisations with their submissions.…

28 September , 2023

Government to Strengthen Privacy Protections

Original media release from the Hon. Mark Dreyfus KC MP (28/09/2023). The Albanese Government has committed to stronger privacy protections for Australians in its response today to the landmark review of the Privacy Act. Australians increasingly rely on digital technologies for work, education, health care and daily commercial transactions and to connect with loved ones.…

9 August , 2023

Data Breaches Seen as Number One Privacy Concern

There has been a sharp increase in the number of Australians who feel data breaches are the biggest privacy risk they face today, according to a major survey released today by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

3 August , 2023

Consumers International Digital Update: Cyber Trust Mark and Personalised Pricing

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.

1 August , 2023

Meta Companies Penalised $20m for Onavo Protect VPN’s Misleading Claims

Virtual Private Networks or VPNs are a method by which people can more securely use and access public internet connections, reduce some communication costs, and bypass internet censorship. The privacy and protection of personal information is an important selling point of VPNs and one that was used to sell Onavo Protect in the Google and…

11 July , 2023

Facial Recognition Technology in Use at Major Australian Stadiums

Almost exactly a year after their article on Kmart, Bunnings, and the Good Guys’ use of facial recognition technology (FRT) in stores across Australia, CHOICE has released another article on the use of FRTs in a number of major stadiums across Australia.

10 July , 2023

ACCC Inquiry Invites Views on Data Broker Industry

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is calling on consumers, businesses and interested stakeholders to provide submissions about data broker services in Australia, as part of its five-year digital platform services inquiry.

30 June , 2023

ACCAN Awards Seven New Communications Consumer Grants

Australia’s peak communications consumer advocacy group, the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), has today announced 7 projects that it will fund through the 2023 Round of its Independent Grants Program.

13 June , 2023

Modernising the Payment System

Original media release (7/06/2023) from the Treasurer, The Hon Dr Jim Chalmers MP: The Albanese Government is taking the next important steps to modernise the way Australians make and receive payments. The Strategic Plan for Australia’s Payments System released today presents a roadmap for the development of the sector. Our vision is for a modern, world?class and…

7 June , 2023

SMS and Bank Impersonation Fraud – What you need to know to avoid being scammed

Fraudsters are impersonating banks over SMS and phone calls, creating elaborate scams that are difficult to spot

Vulnerabilities in SMS and phone networks currently allow the scams to flourish, but experts say a new registry will help close these loopholes

In the meantime, consumers are urged to watch out for messages and calls from their bank urgently asking them to transfer money