ACCC sues Mastercard over retailer deals The ACCC alleges Mastercard entered into agreements with more than 20 major retail businesses that hindered competition by deterring them from using eftpos. AAP · May 30, 2022
Deliberate ploy: whistleblowers reveal why Facebook’s Australia news ban included non-news sites Employees within Meta say the move amid the standoff with the Morrison government was no accident The Guardian - AU · May 28, 2022
Meta asks to be spared tighter rules in Australia, saying iPhone’s tracking blocker is hurting business Company tells consumer watchdog it is set to lose $10bn this year in wake of Apple iOS feature hampering ability to collect user data The Guardian - AU · May 25, 2022
‘Excessively high’: NBN Co plan to hike internet prices stirs controversy Australians would face higher internet bills over the next decade under plans to jack up broadband prices to recoup huge NBN cost blowouts. The New Daily · May 25, 2022
Biggest chicken processors to fix unfair contracts with farmers after ACCC investigation Chicken growers say they have been struggling under exploitative contracts with the country's biggest chicken processing companies, but now the ACCC has convinced companies to make contracts fairer. ABC News · May 25, 2022
When self-driving cars crash, who's responsible? Courts and insurers need to know what's inside the 'black box' The first serious accident involving a self-driving car in Australia occurred in March this year. A pedestrian suffered life-threatening injuries when hit by a Tesla Model 3 in “autopilot” mode. The Conversation · May 24, 2022
Regional airline Rex axes routes as competition for passengers heats up with Qantas Competition between Qantas and Rex is heating up, with the regional airline pulling out of two routes that it says have become "unviable". The New Daily · May 24, 2022
Proposed NBN price hikes could double some internet bills within a decade, ACCC warns Telstra says wholesale prices already among highest in the world and will only get worse under proposal The Guardian - AU · May 24, 2022
Facebook whistleblowers allege Meta may have breached Australia’s foreign interference laws Company accused of deliberately blocking Australian government pages as a negotiating tactic during debate over news media laws The Guardian - AU · May 23, 2022
SA government calls for ACCC investigation into price gouging in construction industry The state government says soaring building costs are impacting housing affordability. ABC News · May 20, 2022
Small telcos gathering steam as Telstra, Optus lose customers The biggest names in Australian telcos are seeing customer numbers start to slide as Australians hunt for more bang for their buck. The New Daily · May 19, 2022
How to remove mould from your home and how to stop it from growing in this humidity After months of wet weather, many people are struggling to contain mould. Here’s how to get rid of it. ABC News · May 16, 2022
Farmers call for ACCC inquiry into overseas grain price inequity Australia's peak farm lobby group for grain growers is calling for an inquiry into grain prices to explain why farmers are getting up to $400 per tonne less for their product than producers overseas. ABC News · May 10, 2022
Stuff-up or conspiracy? Whistleblowers claim Facebook deliberately let important non-news pages go down in news blackout On Friday, the Wall Street Journal published information from Facebook whistleblowers, alleging Facebook (which is owned by Meta) deliberately caused havoc in Australia last year to influence the News Media Bargaining Code before it was passed as law. The Conversation · May 10, 2022
The Conversation · May 9, 2022 The US FDA has moved to ban menthol cigarettes. Australia should do that and more Menthol is the minty cigarette ingredient that conjures up images of beaches, snow-covered ski slopes and glamorous yacht parties, all crisp white and fresh green. Menthol as a deadly additive is under threat at last.
The Guardian - AU · May 6, 2022 Whistleblowers allege Meta deliberately took down Australia's government, emergency services to negotiate news ban Meta, formerly Facebook, denies claims the blocking of non-news pages like hospitals and charities was an intentional negotiating tactic, and says it was the result of a ‘technical error’
The Conversation · May 2, 2022 ACCC says consumers need more choices about what online marketplaces are doing with their data 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.
AAP · Apr 28, 2022 Online market rankings raise ACCC concerns The consumer watchdog's increasing concerns over the use of online algorithms has shifted to marketplaces that could unfairly promote some products over others.
ABC News · Apr 28, 2022 Amazon, Catch, eBay and Kogan under scrutiny over concerns about their algorithms and use of data The ACCC raises a range of concerns about a number of online retail marketplaces, including whether they are transparent with customers about how they collect and use consumer information.
Benzinga · Apr 26, 2022 Australian Watchdog Proposes $19M Penalty On Uber For Misleading Riders Uber Technologies, Inc (NYSE:UBER) could face penalties of up to $19 million (AUD26 million) as the Australian competition regulator finds it guilty of misleading riders. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said Uber admitted that between December 2017 and September 2021, it warned consumers they would be charged fees for canceling rides during…
The Guardian - AU · Apr 26, 2022 Uber faces $26m fine in Australia over misleading cancellation warnings and taxi fare estimates The ride share company admitted engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct after an investigation by the competition watchdog
Pedestrian.tv · Apr 26, 2022 Uber Has Been Fined $21M For Misleading Customers With Ride Cancellation Pop-Ups Uber has been fined $21 million by the Federal Court for breaching Australian consumer law with its misleading warnings.
ABC News · Apr 23, 2022 Australia's overheated property market has become a target for hackers — and they're scamming millions Property settlement scams are becoming more common, as house prices rise and scammers turn their focus to the large and often lightly protected sums of money earmarked for home deposits.
ABC News · Apr 13, 2022 ACCC accuses Honda of misleading customers and causing harm to two dealerships The consumer watchdog has launched Federal Court action against Honda Australia, accusing the car company of misleading customers and causing harm to two former authorised dealerships.
ABC News · Apr 11, 2022 The Loop: Royal Easter show's fatal brawl, Qantas faces ACCC allegations, and why NZ's opposition is concerned with Labor's aged care plan Here's your TL;DR for this morning's news.