Advertisers need to act now in response to the ACCC’s Digital Platforms Inquiry
If the ACCC’s recommendations are implemented, big changes could be facing the advertising industry, warn Stephen von Muenster, Stephanie Scott and Rebecca Blumber. Accordingly, advertisers need to get ahead of the increased scrutiny and regulation.
We all know that data is being collected and used by digital platforms (most notably Google and Facebook) in advertising, media and communications. Among other scandals, the 2018 Facebook Cambridge Analytica data privacy breach highlighted how such use of data has a large-scale impact on individuals’ privacy. Up until recently, when that tick box appeared on screen, most people would blindly agree to their personal data being virtually shipped off around the world to be used in ways they were unlikely aware of. Cambridge Analytica has shone a light on the use of this data, and consumers are no longer sitting back quietly and allowing this to occur.
Closer to home, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is already flexing its muscles in respect of misleading and deceptive conduct under consumer law. The ACCC has commenced proceedings in the Federal Court against medical appointment booking app Health Engine, alleging that the platform has been collecting and disclosing users’ personal data to insurance brokers without consent. The app’s developers face millions of dollars in fines if they are found guilty of these alleged breaches.
The ACCC’s Digital Platforms Inquiry
While platforms such as Facebook and Google can be largely positive in the effects they have on business success, their collection of users’ personal data is controversial to say the least.
I kinda love how more than one week after publish and this article has no comments despite being a brilliant piece on industry-wide regulation.
Come on people. Say something…
It reminds me of a police line up and the guilty party just can’t look people in the eye.
This entire empty comments space is the media and marketing industry collectively looking the other way whilst whispering “make it go away”
Come on guys. Face facts. Facebook & Google stole everyone’s data and we’re all worse than complicit. We gave them all the money. We’re almost arms traders at this point.
Can someone please regulate the crap out of all this illegal surveillance and get our individual privacies back please?
Maybe along the way we can find a better way to eek a living than giving society to Larry & The Zuck in return for free email and an easy way to chat with mates…
#hopeful
I have had a Netflix account for over a decade. First the platform change that made me choose either streaming or mail or pay more if I wanted both and then the continual increases in prices for streaming. Now it is harder and harder to find good things and then the constant waiting and wondering about the series I like and whether they will be renewed or not… it is crap. Then delays its on and then its not… it sucks… as for their demographic target… retirees are a bigger audience and spend more time in front of their screens than anyone… so market for us! We have money… spend and buy too… not the same crap kids do but we have funds and our wealth is higher than theirs… they’re all living at home any way using their parents accounts so screw them… they don’t make the world go around…