DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS – AUSTRALIA – REGULATION

Push to curb social giants like traditional media

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Original article by John Davidson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 20-Mar-19

Sacha Molitorisz of the Centre for Media Transition says digital platforms should be subject to the same regulation as traditional media companies with regard to the distribution of objectionable content. He supports the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission’s proposal for a single media regulator. The issue has attracted renewed scrutiny in the wake of the Christchurch mosque attack, with digital companies unlikely to be censured for allowing it to be streamed live on their platforms.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, SYDNEY. CENTRE FOR MEDIA TRANSITION, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY, SKY NEWS

Media takes hard line on tech titans

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Original article by David Swan, Lilly Vitorovich, Zoe Samios, Supratim Adhikari
The Australian – Page: 17 & 28 : 5-Mar-19

The preliminary report of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission’s landmark inquiry into digital platforms called for greater transparency regarding their algorithms and how news stories are ranked on their sites. Nine Entertainment Company’s submission has supported increased regulation of digital platforms such as Facebook and Google, as well as the introduction of a tax offset for news. Meanwhile, telco Optus has expressed concern that measures aimed at curbing the market power of digital platforms could potentially apply to the broader business sector.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY, COMMUNICATIONS ALLIANCE LIMITED, COUNTRY PRESS AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, STAR NEWS GROUP PTY LTD, PROVINCIAL PRESS GROUP, AUSTRALIAN PRESS COUNCIL, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS)

Google bid to keep algorithm secret

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Original article by David Swan
The Australian – Page: 3 : 22-Feb-19

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission proposed the creation of an algorithm regulator in the preliminary report on its investigation into the impact that Facebook and Google are having on news and society. Google Australia & New Zealand MD Mel Silva contends that such a body could lead to manipulation and even more fake news, while she says Google should be treated differently to Facebook as it encourages users to visit other sites, whereas Facebook tries to keep people on its platform for as long as possible.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, FACEBOOK AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, GOOGLE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Tighter rein on Google, Facebook

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich
The Australian – Page: 3 : 13-Feb-19

Free TV Australia CEO Bridget Fair has stressed the need for greater regulation of digital platforms to ensure that the rights of content producers are protected. A report commissioned by the British government has recommended the creation of a regulator to monitor the quality of news that is distributed by digital giants such as Google and Facebook. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission is slated to deliver the final report of its own review of digital platforms in early June.

CORPORATES
FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, TELSYTE PTY LTD

Google rejects check on search algorithms

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Original article by Paul Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 & 22 : 29-Jan-19

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has previously proposed that an external regulator monitor the algorithms used by Google and Facebook. Both companies have expressed concerns about the proposal, with Google Australia and New Zealand Managing Director Mel Silva saying such a move could make its algorithms open to manipulation. The recommendation regarding algorithms was one of a number put forward by the ACCC following its review into digital platforms; Silva says its recommendation to establish a digital platforms ombudsman has merit.

CORPORATES
GOOGLE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FACEBOOK AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, UNLOCKD PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

Legislative and regulatory settings are out of kilter: Williams

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Original article by Max Mason
The Age – Page: 15 : 10-Mar-16

Copyright Agency chairman Kim Williams has told the RadComms conference that changes to the regulation of the media sector are needed to reflect the growth of technology companies. He noted that the Australian Communications & Media Authority currently has limited powers to regulate digital media companies such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook and Netflix.

CORPORATES
COPYRIGHT AGENCY LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY, APPLE INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, MICROSOFT CORPORATION, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS