Submission to ACCC: Digital Platform Services Inquiry on updating consumer law for digital platform services

In its submission to the ACCC’s Digital Platform Services inquiry on updating consumer law for digital platform services, CPRC calls for a consumer-centred approach to mitigating harms on digital platforms.

We need a new approach that will:

• reduce the onus on consumers to identify and report harms by ensuring regulators are adequately resourced to proactively uncover harm that is currently obfuscated
• introduce a more holistic approach to reform that mitigates and reduces the risk of consumer harms from digital platforms
• implement wider whole-of economy reforms to provide adequate baseline safeguards for consumers to complement any regulatory interventions for digital platforms
• puts more onus on businesses to treat consumers fairly – this could be done with a new best interests duty.