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This week
IN THE NEWS: ACCANect 2022 Better Basics program now live, call for nominations for ACCAN Board, and more.
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![ACCANect 2022 Better Basics Online: 14 September [icon of a phone with an ACCAN conference logo]](https://accan.org.au/images/WebNews/ACCANect2022-Socials-WebNews%201.jpg) |
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We’re excited to announce that the program for our annual conference is now live. We’ll be chatting to key representatives from organisations including the ACMA, TPG Telecom, Consumer Action Law Centre, Telstra and Commpete about what ‘the basics’ look like for communications consumers in 2022. Earlybird registrations are open now until the 31st of August at our conference website. Students, individuals and community organisations may be eligible for complimentary registrations. Check the  eligibility criteria64.67 KB, or email events@accan.org.au. [ACCAN]
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ACCAN is seeking nominations for Directors to fill a number of vacancies on its Board. In order to ensure an appropriate balance, the Board is particularly seeking candidates with legal and regulatory expertise; and/or experience in financial management and governance in a not-for-profit organisation; and/or with lived experience of disability; and/or small businesses; and/or an understanding of the issues affecting young consumers; and/or from an Indigenous background or with strong linkages to Indigenous communities. All Nnominations must be received by 4 pm AEST, 23rd August 2022. [ACCAN]
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Residents of a public housing estate in Melbourne are missing out on education and employment opportunities, and health and income support because of barriers to the access and use of reliable and affordable internet, a new University of Melbourne report has found. The report Understanding Digital Inequality: An analysis of unequal connectivity in Carlton Housing Estate, reveals the considerable digital connectivity challenges for residents, and how insufficient access to reliable and affordable internet amplifies inequalities. [University of Melbourne]
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Beware of text or WhatsApp messages appearing to be from a relative using an unknown number, asking for money or that you delete/block their old number. It’s likely to be a scam. The ACMA is aware of reports of scammers impersonating family members claiming to have changed their number and asking you to save a new number into your phone. These messages often begin with ‘Hi Mum’ and could provide several different reasons for why they are using a different phone number including switching providers or having a lost or broken phone. [ACMA]
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WESNET’s Tech Summit will be held virtually and brings together national and international experts on technology abuse, technology safety and violence against women. This year’s topics will focus on the emerging technologies that operate within the context of the intersection between technology, privacy and violence against women. [WESNET]
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Australia’s consumer watchdog will examine whether social media behemoth Meta is throttling a potential competitor and entrenching its dominance by aping TikTok’s signature features on its own services, Facebook and Instagram. The next phase of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s long-running digital platform services inquiry will also consider the reverse scenario: whether the emergence of new platforms such as Chinese-owned TikTok and daily post app BeReal is reducing Meta’s power. [SMH]
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National Broadband Network operator NBN Co has released a new Special Access Undertaking (SAU) discussion paper to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), internet retailers and consumer advocacy groups involved in the SAU consultation process. [iTNews]
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Telstra has been castigated for making “useless” infrastructure location decisions, failing to effectively plan to mitigate future disasters, and not learning from past disaster experiences by the parliamentary inquiry into the response to major flooding across NSW in February and March. [iTNews]
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Phone reception in The Ponds is so poor, the suburb's residents spend their time chatting on their mobiles in the street or driving out of the suburb to get more than two bars of reception. While phone carriers and Blacktown Council agreed a new phone tower is needed, The Hon. Michelle Rowland MP, who started a petition, said the application had been sitting with the NSW Local Government Minister for ages. [9News]
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The Federal Court has ordered Google LLC to pay $60 million in penalties for making misleading representations to consumers about the collection and use of their personal location data on Android phones between January 2017 and December 2018, following court action by the ACCC. [ACCC]
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Tel: (02) 9288 4000
Email: media@accan.org.au
Web: accan.org.au
Twitter: @accan_au
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Although we take care to direct subscribers to sites with accurate and reliable content, we advise that ACCAN is not responsible for the content within external sites and has no control over the views, services or information contained therein. Information contained on external sites may not necessarily reflect ACCAN's policy, standards or beliefs.
The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network's representation of residential and other consumers' interests in relation to telecommunications issues is made possible by funding provided by the Commonwealth of Australia under section 593 of the Telecommunications Act 1997. This funding is recovered from charges on telecommunications carriers.
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