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Sign the petition for safe, fair and accountable AI

To the federal government:

 

I call on you to ensure that there are strong laws in place to address the risks of AI to consumers.

 

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Join the call for strong AI consumer protections


Without safeguards, AI could drive one of the biggest shifts in power we’ve ever seen – tilting things even further in favour of big corporations at the expense of individual consumers. 

This could show up in highly individualised surveillance pricing, dark patterns nudging you to make decisions you might not otherwise make, and worse customer service experiences. At the scale and speed AI allows, this could significantly erode consumers’ ability to assess value or shop around, driving higher and higher prices at a time when so many of us are already struggling with the rising cost of living. 

We’re already seeing AI supercharge scams. In the hands of scammers, it’s being weaponised in the form of deepfake videos, synthetic voice cloning, AI-generated websites and AI-generated scam advertisements. CHOICE has also seen some AI chatbots recommending illegal online gambling sites, with little warning about the law, the risks or the potential for scams. 

To get this technological transformation right, it is crucial that Australia’s consumer protection framework is equipped to keep pace with emerging risks.

Tech giants and big businesses are already pushing back on proposals for stricter rules that would help ensure AI is safe, fair and accountable. To get strong protections over the line, we’ll need to show that thousands of people are calling on the government to urgently step in and ensure strong laws address the emerging risks that AI poses to consumers. 

FAQ

The key changes we’re calling for to tackle these emerging risks are:

  • A ban on businesses using personal information to set individualised prices for consumers;
  • Strengthening proposed privacy reforms so that they apply regardless of the type or size of the business;
  • Bringing AI chat bots, email services, organic search, online marketplaces and dating apps into the new Scams Prevention Framework. 
  • More resources for the ACCC to tackle target the misuse of AI against consumers; and
  • A pathway for Australians to access fair and timely help and redress if they experience issues with digital services.
  • Extending protections against unfair trading practices under the Consumer and Competition Act to also cover financial services under the ASIC Act.

 

Individualised surveillance pricing is when a business charges different people different prices for the same product or service based on personal information it collects about them. This information can include your age, gender, location, purchasing habits and even your inferred interests, behaviour or mood. 
For example, two people searching for the same product on the same website may be shown different prices based on their browsing history, shopping habits or other personal data. Perhaps a booking platform may use information about your browsing behaviour, previous searches or purchasing patterns to estimate how much you're willing to pay for a flight or hotel. Or, a grocery store could use information like your purchase history to individually adjust the specials, promotions or prices that you’re offered. 

As it becomes more common, there’s increasing concern that it could make it even harder for consumers to know if they’re being ripped off. There are currently no laws preventing all the ways that businesses can engage in this unethical practice. 

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