The competition regulator wants new measures to address harms from digital platforms to Australian consumers. 

The ACCC is calling for new competition and consumer laws for digital platforms in the fifth report of its five-year Digital Platform Services Inquiry.

The report also proposes mandatory codes of conduct for certain platforms and services to protect and promote competition.

“We know that the expansion of digital platforms in Australia has brought many benefits to Australian consumers and businesses,” ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said.

“This expansion of digital platform services has also created risks and harms that our current consumer and competition laws are not always able to address.

“Our analysis has identified concerning consumer and competition harms across a range of digital platform services that are widespread, entrenched, and systemic,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.

“The critical positions that digital platforms hold, as ‘gatekeepers’ or ‘intermediaries’ between businesses and consumers, mean they have a broad influence across the economy, making the reforms we are recommending crucial and necessary for all Australians.”

The ACCC’s report recommends new laws that require digital platforms to:

  1. provide user-friendly processes for reporting scams, harmful apps, and fake reviews, and to respond to such reports

  2. reduce the risk of scams by verifying certain business users such as advertisers, app developers and merchants

  3. publish review verification processes to provide important information to readers of online reviews to help them assess the reliability of reviews on the platform

  4. report on scams, harmful apps and fake reviews on their services, and the measures taken to address them

  5. ensure consumers and small businesses can access appropriate dispute resolution, supported by the establishment of a new digital platform ombuds scheme.