ACCC tackles social media diversity, slams Google over location data: Vertical Hold Ep 392

Why has the ACCC fined Google 60 million bucks for misleading Australians? Why is the consumer watchdog turning its attention to social media? Special guest Gizmodo AU editor Asha Barbaschow!

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The ACCC is on the warpath again on several fronts — it’s taken Google to court and slapped it with a $60 million fine for misleading conduct relating to location data.

However, this is a case that runs back some years, and consumers (and technology) has moved along at a pace since then. What’s at stake here, and why should consumers be concerned about whether or not they’re tracked through their devices?

While it takes on Google, the ACCC is also eyeing up the social media space, starting inquiries into the competitive environment around Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and others. What does (or should) competition look like on social media, and do we really need data transportability between social media services?

All this and the weird ways it’s possible to fire food at your pet’s face — no, really — in the latest ep, where we’re joined by Gizmodo Australia’s Asha Barbaschow!