Liability for autonomous vehicles

When a Tesla vehicle injured a Melbourne pedestrian whilst in autopilot mode, the question arose as to who is responsible when autonomous vehicles crash? Self-driving cars are exponentially gaining adoption in Australia. However, the law has not yet caught up with the technology. Modern negligence case law has determined that a manufacturer is responsible for …

Last modified on December 3rd, 2022 at 3:28 am

Healthcare sector increasingly subject to cyberattacks

The healthcare sector has increasingly become one of the largest targets of cybercrime and cyberattacks. The healthcare sector has become a prime target for cybercrime due to its handling and storage of sensitive and confidential information and outdated systems. During 2020, the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) received 166 health sector-related cybersecurity incident reports, raising …

Last modified on February 6th, 2023 at 7:22 pm

ACCC begins investigation into digital payment markets

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has shifted its attention to competition concerns in the digital payments market. ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb highlighted this shift during her speech at the Australian Financial Review Banking Summit. With digital payment systems quickly integrating into traditional finance, the ACCC is concerned about anti-competitive conduct and desires to …

Last modified on December 3rd, 2022 at 3:29 am

Netflix sued over false and misleading statements regarding subscriber growth

Popular streaming service Netflix has found itself in hot water after allegedly making false and misleading statements regarding its recent subscriber growth. Netflix investors have issued a class-action lawsuit against the company due to alleged misrepresentations as to declining subscriber growth since October 2021. Despite a surge in popularity during the peak of COVID, Netflix …

Last modified on December 3rd, 2022 at 3:29 am

ACCC reveals concerns over online marketplaces

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) fourth report in its Digital Platform Services Inquiry raises concerns over general online retail marketplaces. The ACCC’s fourth report focused on whether online marketplaces are promoting fair and competitive markets for consumers and sellers. Online marketplaces refer to platforms that enable sellers to easily sell goods online. In …

Last modified on December 3rd, 2022 at 3:29 am

Facebook alleged to have blocked Australian news pages to influence new law

A Facebook whistleblower has come forward to claim that the blocking of Australian news pages in early 2021 was a negotiating tactic used to influence the News Media Bargaining Code. The News Media Bargaining Code was designed to strengthen Australian local news publishers by requiring social media companies to pay publishers for news content posted …

Last modified on December 3rd, 2022 at 3:30 am

Uber admitted to having engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct

The ride-sharing app Uber has admitted to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for having engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct and making misleading or deceptive representations. The ACCC instituted proceedings against Uber, alleging that a lack of oversight over Uber’s algorithm resulted in misleading results for Australian users. This is known as dark …

Last modified on December 3rd, 2022 at 3:31 am

Australian cryptocurrency ETF delayed

A Bitcoin and Ethereum exchange-traded fund (ETF) was set to launch in Australia this week but was blocked by an unknown third party broker. To provide Australian consumers with further accessibility to cryptocurrency with regulated risk, Cosmos Asset Management and 21 Shares had planned to unveil Australia’s first spot-backed cryptocurrency ETFs. ETFs are a common …

Last modified on December 3rd, 2022 at 3:31 am

APRA release crypto-asset management roadmap

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has released a crypto-asset risk management expectations and policy roadmap. The roadmap was prepared due to the rapid growth and development of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. To ensure Australia reaches its full potential as a digital economic leader, APRA has identified preliminary risk management strategies to benefit the crypto-asset …

Last modified on December 3rd, 2022 at 3:31 am

Critical Infrastructure Protection amendment comes into effect

The Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure Protection) Act 2022 (Cth) (SLACIP Act) came into effect on 2 April 2022 to amend the Security of Critical infrastructure Act 2018 (Cth). The SLACIP Act is focused on strengthening security measures in Australia, particularly in terms of technological and data safety in critical infrastructure assets. Critical infrastructure refers …