Australian regulator to hold public inquiry into Facebook, Google

SYDNEY: Australia’s consumer regulator has announced it will conduct a broad-ranging public inquiry into how digital platforms like Facebook and Google have impacted media organisations’ ability to fund and produce quality news and journalistic content.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said yesterday it will examine the impact of such platforms, which have “up-ended advertising markets across the world.”

“Digital platforms like Google and Facebook are part of the sweeping technological and cultural changes overhauling the media landscape in Australia and globally,” ACCC chairman Rod Sims said. “While these technological changes have brought many benefits for consumers, this inquiry will have a particular focus on examining whether the changes affect the quality and range of news supplied to Australian consumers.”

The inquiry will also look into the extent to which consumers understand what data is being collected about them by the platforms, and how this information is used, as well as the use of algorithms affecting the presentation of news for digital platform users.

The Silicon Valley giants have been criticised for benefiting from content made by traditional media companies, which have seen massively falling revenue in recent years.

“Considering the longer term impacts of digital platforms and the ability of traditional media to remain financially viable will also be key to understanding the media and ad markets,” Sims said. – dpa