The Albanese government plans new national rules for AI in government decision-making, consumer protection, workplace safety, and privacy, led by Attorney General Michelle Rowland. It also aims to legislate a digital duty of care and regulate energy-intensive data centres, with concerns raised by the opposition.
New York City enacts a new rule banning deceptive subscription practices and proposes another targeting "junk fees," requiring upfront total pricing for goods and services. Violators face significant fines, with the subscription ban potentially saving residents millions annually.
A Himachal Pradesh consumer commission ordered a Greater Noida hostel to refund Rs 30,000 to an engineering student. The hostel failed to provide promised AC rooms, good food, and Wi-Fi, leading the student to leave after a week. The commission awarded interest, compensation, and litigation costs.
Chris Mufarrige, director of the FTC's consumer protection bureau, asserts his agency's strong record despite criticisms regarding political interference and staff cuts. He highlights recent settlements and ongoing investigations into deceptive practices, particularly concerning online scams and AI's impact on children.
A class-action lawsuit alleges Costco sold Orgain Organic Protein Powder containing toxic heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and arsenic without warning consumers. Plaintiffs cite testing by Clean Label Project and Consumer Reports, claiming Costco knew or should have known about the contamination.
UK telecoms watchdog Ofcom has fined Virgin Media £28m for hindering customers trying to cancel contracts between 2022 and 2024. Millions of calls were mishandled, with agents financially incentivized to delay cancellations, leading to Ofcom's largest fine under consumer protection rules.
UK watchdog Ofcom has fined Virgin Media £28m for preventing customers from cancelling contracts over nearly three years. Millions of calls were mishandled, with agents incentivized to delay cancellations, leading to Ofcom's largest consumer protection fine.
UK watchdog Ofcom fined Virgin Media £28m for preventing customers from cancelling contracts between 2022-2024. Millions of calls were mishandled, with agents financially incentivized to delay cancellations. Virgin Media has since made changes and apologized.
Hong Kong plans to introduce an administrative fee for customers seeking refunds on prepaid beauty and fitness contracts under a proposed seven-day cooling-off period. The measure aims to curb potential abuse and protect businesses from repeated refund requests.
The UAE Central Bank has fined a foreign bank branch Dh1.82 million for failing to issue a customer liability letter within the mandated seven-day period, citing breaches of consumer protection regulations. This action is part of a broader enforcement campaign to enhance transparency and compliance in the UAE's financial sector.
Consumer advocates argue the bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act, despite tech backing, fails to shield the public from the true costs of booming datacenters, with voluntary measures and benefits for tech companies potentially increasing consumer expenses.
Several financial and policy changes took effect in India from July 1, including cheaper commercial LPG, increased passport fees, an expanded rural employment guarantee, free Aadhaar email updates, and revised credit card benefits.
Australia's consumer watchdog, the ACCC, is suing Amazon for allegedly using unfair contract terms to introduce ads in Prime Video. The tech giant is accused of forcing over a million annual subscribers to pay more to avoid ads, violating consumer protection law.
Thousands of World Cup fans face ruined trips due to StubHub's failure to deliver tickets, highlighting a 'deeply broken' system. Advocates push for reform as affected fans seek refunds or replacements, often with inferior seats.
Authorities face challenges in banning and prosecuting online prediction markets, which operate on overseas platforms and allow trading on future events. Major platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi saw billions in trades.
A movement called Stop Killing Games is lobbying for legal protections to prevent publishers from shutting down online video games. The group advocates for "end-of-life plans" to keep games playable, proposing that companies allow players to operate private servers. While the European Commission cannot mandate this due to copyright laws, it will work on a code of conduct. In the US, California's "Protect Our Games" act, which requires advance notice before takedown and access for purchased games, has passed the Assembly.
DAZN Soccer's pricing display, emphasizing a "monthly fee of 980 yen" while obscuring the non-cancellable annual plan, may violate Japan's Premiums and Representations Act and the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions. While DAZN has apologized for a specific period of misrepresentation, consumers may have grounds to cancel contracts made during that time. Dark patterns, though not directly regulated in Japan, are addressed through existing consumer protection laws.
India's Competition Commission (CCI) has dismissed allegations against 12 Delhi hospitals for inflating healthcare charges, stating price regulation is the government's domain. The ruling, which follows a decade-long investigation, is criticized for potentially overlooking consumer protection mandates in the $372-billion healthcare industry.
The European Parliament is resisting proposals to weaken EU Regulation EC261, which protects air passenger rights. Proposed changes could drastically reduce compensation for delays and cancellations, making claims harder to enforce and eroding passenger protections.
Indian consumer law, under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, allows consumers to file complaints against defective products and poor services with consumer commissions. The process is designed to be consumer-friendly, with online filing available and no mandatory lawyer requirement. Jurisdiction is based on the value of goods/services paid, with tiered commissions (District, State, National).
The US Department of Justice has joined xAI in suing Colorado to block its AI anti-discrimination law (SB 205). The DOJ argues the law mandates discrimination, while critics say it's an attempt to reframe consumer protections as "woke" overreach. A revised bill (SB 189) has since replaced SB 205, weakening its transparency and bias assessment requirements.
Venture capital firm a16z crypto believes the US CLARITY Act will foster domestic innovation and benefit the global economy. The bill, aimed at providing regulatory clarity for the crypto industry, has a high chance of passing, according to Grayscale, though bipartisan support is crucial.
A German court ruled that Mondelēz, owner of Milka, deceived consumers by reducing the size of Milka's Alpine Milk bar from 100g to 90g without significantly changing the packaging, constituting shrinkflation.
India's state-run oil companies are absorbing nearly Rs 30,000 crore in monthly losses to maintain stable petrol, diesel, and LPG prices amidst soaring global energy costs. This financial burden arises from crude oil price surges and supply disruptions in West Asia, with the government prioritizing consumer protection.
