Free TV pushes for ‘urgent’ government action on tech players’ ‘anti-competitive’ behaviours
Industry lobby group Free TV has taken aim at major digital platforms in response to a parliamentary inquiry on economics and businesses, calling for a new code to regulate alleged anti-competitive behaviours from tech giants.
The inquiry, currently being conducted by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics, looks to promote economic dynamism, competition and business formation.
Free TV, whose members include Seven, Nine, Ten, SCA and WIN, said advertisers, publishers and consumers could suffer if digital players like Google are not “urgently” regulated.
The proposed mandatory code, which will sit under the Competition and Consumer Commission Act 2010, should address issues including self-preferencing, bundling and tying, data integrations and other anti-competitive behaviours displayed by tech conglomerates.
Self-preferencing refers to the creation of systems and processes that prefer products and services offered by the same company in related markets.
The industry body submitted that the ACCC should be responsible for developing the code under the new framework. And once it’s established, the ACCC should be able to issue infringement notices, penalties, injunctions and court orders.
“Tasking the ACCC with the role of establishing these codes is recommended as the most timely way to implement the required reforms,” the submission read.
“As we expand on throughout this submission, the platforms, and in particular Google, have become so pervasive that even businesses that seek out alternative service partners can still be impacted by their use of their strategic market position.
“It is critical that there are no further delays to the implementation of these reforms.”
The news came as the ACCC pushes ahead with its digital platforms inquiry, where global tech players like Meta and Google are under the spotlight for their ‘web’ of services and influence on competition.
Free TV will appear in a public hearing in Sydney on 26 July.
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