"'Not messing around': Government unveils 'world-leading' regulation of tech giants", 12 December 2019

The federal government has announced "world-leading" changes to the regulation of tech giants, putting the companies on notice over their business models, treatment of users and dealings with traditional media outlets.

Responding to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) landmark digital platforms inquiry, the government committed to a series of reforms to address the tech giants' market power, boost transparency and ensure fair competition.

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To protect consumers' data, it will examine changes to privacy legislation to boost protections and increase penalties for breaches. The government will also move towards creating a digital platforms ombudsman, establishing a pilot scheme for the body that will resolve disputes between the services and users.

Responding to the announcement, tech industry body DIGI said it recognised the importance of protecting consumer privacy and competition in the news media.

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Mia Garlick, Australia and New Zealand policy director for Facebook, said the company's focus was on "achieving economy-wide privacy protection, data portability and a user-focused digital news distribution code, while preserving the many benefits that technology delivers in this country".

Hugh Marks, chief executive of Nine...said the government had provided a "clear timeline and platform for our industry to be able to engage with the social media platforms on a basis we ultimately believe will be a win-win...".

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