Digital consumers Archives - Page 4 of 12 - Consumers' Federation of Australia

25 March , 2024

ACCC Announces Changes to Wholesale Telecommunications Regulation

The ACCC has released its final report outlining the findings of an inquiry into whether nine wholesale telecommunications services should continue to be regulated. Access to telecommunications services in Australia is usually unregulated unless the services are declared. In deciding whether to declare a service, the ACCC must be satisfied that declaration would promote the long-term interests…

18 March , 2024

ACCC to Examine Internet Search Services for Five Year Inquiry

“Significant changes have occurred since the ACCC last examined search services in 2021. We’ve seen new laws introduced overseas that place obligations on so-called gatekeeper search engines and the emergence of new technologies, like generative AI, that have changed the way consumers search for information online and may be impacting the quality of the service they are receiving,”

15 March , 2024

Australians Want Regulation But Consumer Voice Missing in AI Debates

In light of World Consumer Rights Day and the 2024 theme, CHOICE and the Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC) have both released articles on artificial intelligence (AI) and the importance, and absence, of consumer voices when discussing use and regulation. Based on CHOICE’s recent research, almost 4 in 5 Australian’s think that business’s should be…

15 March , 2024

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…

13 March , 2024

ACCC Broadband Network Wholesale Access Regulations a Win for Consumers and Competition

Original media release by and from the ACCC (12/03/2024). Australians on broadband plans provided by non-NBN fixed-line networks should benefit from more stable pricing and greater competition between retailers, following the ACCC’s decision to make a final wholesale access determination for the declared superfast broadband access service (SBAS). TPG and Uniti Group Limited (Uniti) are the two…

13 March , 2024

Digital Platforms Need to Take Responsibility, CHOICE Urges Government Action

Original media release by and from CHOICE (13/03/2024). Big tech responsible for big losses: 249% increase in social media scam losses since 2020 CHOICE calls for strong rules to force digital platforms to rein in scams Consumer group CHOICE is demanding urgent government action to force digital platforms to prevent scam losses, after the National…

7 March , 2024

ACCC Announces 2024-25 Enforcement Priorities

Original media release from the ACCC (7/03/2024). Consumer and competition issues in the supermarket sector and essential services including electricity and financial services are among the ACCC’s compliance and enforcement priorities for the year ahead, ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb announced today. “Our priorities continue to be shaped by the key challenges facing our economy and the…

4 March , 2024

ASIC Steps Up Surveillance and Website Takedowns to Shut Down Scams

New data has revealed nearly 3,500 investment scam websites have been knocked out by ASIC’s scam website takedown capability since it was launched in July 2023, as ASIC sharpens its efforts to protect Australians from digitally enabled misconduct.

28 February , 2024

No Say, No Knowledge, No Control: Personal Data in Australia

When was the last time you were certain that your data wasn’t being collected, shared, tracked or used in unfair business practices? A recently released joint research report from the Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC) and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) ‘Singled Out: Consumer understanding – and misunderstanding – of data broking, data…

13 February , 2024

Advocates Call for New Super Anti-Scam Code

Recent super fund data breaches and increasingly sophisticated super scams demonstrate the urgent need for industry collaboration on a super anti-scam code. Super Consumers Australia today is urging the Federal Government to prioritise the safety of Australians’ 24 million retirement savings accounts by introducing a superannuation industry anti-scam code.

Since 2022, up to 178,000 superannuation members across three super funds have been placed at a heightened risk of phishing scams due to known super fund data breaches.

9 February , 2024

NASC Warns Consumers to Be Aware to Valentine and Romance Baiting Scams

Romance baiting scams cause significant emotional and financial harm to Australians, with Scamwatch receiving 484 reports of this scam in 2023. Despite overall losses nearly halving in the past year, reports to Scamwatch show that more than $40 million was lost to romance baiting scams in 2023.

Romance baiting scams disproportionately impact people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, with reports to Scamwatch from these communities accounting for more than 30 per cent ($12 million) of total losses last year.

8 February , 2024

Complaints to TIO Increased for the Quarter But the Yearly Decrease Trend Continues

The latest data from the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) reveals that consumers and small businesses made 14,671 complaints between October and December 2023, an increase of 13.4 percent compared to the previous quarter, but a 17.9 percent decrease compared to the same time last year.