WEB SEARCH ENGINES – AUSTRALIA

News in call for curbs on big tech

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Original article by Andrew White
The Australian – Page: 1 : 30-Sep-19

News Corp Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller has called for legislative action to reign in the market power of digital platforms such as Google and Facebook. Amongst other things, he says such platforms should sign a mandatory code of conduct and be prohibited from using any publisher’s content unless they do so. Miller contends that technology platforms have been the biggest cause of damage to Australia’s media industry and Australians’ access to trusted and reliable content.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

Nine: Tech giants must share revenue

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 26-Sep-19

Google and Facebook account for the bulk of digital advertising revenue in Australia, and other players collectively receive just $0.29 of every dollar spent. Nine Entertainment Company has called for a "fair" revenue sharing arrangement between the digital giants and content producers, and it argues that a proposed new division within the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission should be responsible for ensuring that commercial contracts are fair to both parties.

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NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

Digital giants to feel watchdog’s bite

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Original article by Leo Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 24 : 29-Jul-19

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims says the proposed code of conduct for digital platforms would be compulsory, and any breaches of the code would attract large penalties. He adds that the code would result in new sources of revenue for media companies, and argues that in many ways digital platforms are publishers and should therefore be treated like publishers. The code of conduct is amongst the recommendations in the ACCC’s final report on its inquiry into digital platforms.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY

Tech giants to face shake-up

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Original article by Simon Benson, Leo Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 8 : 26-Jul-19

The federal government’s official response to the final report on the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission’s inquiry into digital platforms will not be released until the end of 2019. However, the government is expected to endorse some of the ACCC’s key recommendations. Amongst other things, the ACCC has recommended greater scutiny of digital platforms’ use of news algorithms and how they use and store personal data. The ACCC’s final report will be released on 26 July, having been delivered to the government in June.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION, UNITED STATES. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM

Google’s plea for defamation shield

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Original article by Nicola Berkovic
The Australian – Page: 4 : 14-May-19

Changes are needed to Australia’s defamation laws to ensure that there is more protection for public-interest journalism, according to the Centre for Media at the University of Technology, Sydney. It made its call in a submission to the current review into defamation laws, which is being led by New South Wales Attorney-General Mark Speakman. In its submission to the review, Google stated that there need to be more protection for search engines when they are being sued for defamation for enabling access to third-party content.

CORPORATES
UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, SYDNEY, GOOGLE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Watchdog targets Google’s advertising

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Original article by David Swan
The Australian – Page: 23 : 18-Mar-19

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims has told the ThinkTV conference that he wants advertising technology companies such as Google to be more transparent about their pricing. Sims says insufficient transparency means advertisers are unsure what they are paying for, and that higher advertising prices are passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices for goods and services. Gary Nissim, the founder and MD of search agency Indago Digital, says there is still uncertainty as to how Google calculates cost per click and how its algorithms work.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, THINK TV, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, INDAGO DIGITAL, SEEK LIMITED – ASX SEK, REA GROUP LIMITED – ASX REA, DOMAIN HOLDINGS AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX DHA

Break up Google to level field in media

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Original article by Zoe Samios
The Australian – Page: 3 : 13-Mar-19

News Corp Australia has used its submission to the Australian Competition & Consumer Com­m­ission’s landmark review of digital platforms to propose forcing Google to sell either its search or advertising business. The media group contends that forced divestment may be the best way to address the market power of digital platforms. ACCC chairman Rod Sims recently noted that digital platforms are not subject to the same regulations as traditional media companies.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

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.

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

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

Facebook lashes algorithm watchdog oversight

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 13-Dec-18

Social media giant Facebook has questioned the merits of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission’s proposal for a new regulator to be given responsibility for monitoring digital platforms’ algorithms. Facebook’s Andy O’Connell says the proposal is unnecessary and unworkable, and he has rejected suggestions that the company lacks transparency regarding its algorithms. He adds that Facebook will continue to engage with the ACCC as the competition watchdog prepares to release the final report of its inquiry into digital platforms in mid-2019.

CORPORATES
FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, GOOGLE INCORPORATED