The ACCC’s Digital Platform Inquiry (DPI) is a world-leading initiative which looks at addressing the market power and dominance of digital platforms. Since its inception, the inquiry has produced reports and insights that informed policy decisions, further research and the public narrative.
While there was initial material momentum in enacting recommendations from the DPI, the work has largely stalled, with the government delaying many of the proposals recommended in the inquiry. During this time, digital platforms have only continued to grow and cement their dominance, and their investments in newer technologies like artificial intelligence looks set to further entrench their dominance into the future.
In this final report it is important then, that we reflect on the government’s progress in passing legislation and regulation as defined in the DPI reports, looking at how Australia compares to the rest of the world, and provide a final call to action to advocate for government to hold digital platforms to account.
We recommend that:
1) Australia at a minimum enact regulation that is on parity with, or equivalent to significant global regulation like the Digital Markets Act (DMA), and the Digital Services Act (DSA) from the European Union (EU)
2) That Australia considers taxing large digital platforms appropriately, ensuring they do not employ tax minimisation strategies while benefitting enormously from the Australian public and the Australian economy
3) That we ensure consumer harms and the power imbalance from current digital platforms is not carried over to newer technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), and apply systemic reforms to achieve this
4) That we clarify the government’s progress (or lack thereof) in enacting the recommendations from all the work of the Digital Platform Inquiry, and produce a clear checklist for the public and interested parties to help hold government to account
