If the Australian proposal is accepted, Google and Facebook may have to mop up their algorithms

Facebook and Google may be forced to give up their knowledge of their secret sauce algorithms thanks to an Australian proposal to tighten regulation of technology giants. If implemented, these measures could set a precedent for how global lawmakers are reducing the influence of these companies in the context of growing privacy and antitrust scandals. .

The companies were part of a host of targeted platforms in an 18-month survey conducted by the Australian Independent Competition Authority, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, to determine the number of companies in the industry. the impact of search engines and social media on advertisers, the media and consumers. At a press conference Friday on the publication of the report, Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg referred to Google and Facebook, citing statements that the ACCC was planning to "lift the veil". on its coveted algorithms to protect consumer privacy, according to Reuters.

The report did not explain exactly how the government would force companies to spit merchandise, but such control would fall within the purview of ACCC's new digital platform management.

"The creation of this branch will allow ACCC to proactively monitor the behavior of digital platforms and investigate potentially anti-competitive behavior by digital platforms," ​​the report said. Although this does not clearly explain the need to specifically monitor business algorithms, you can not exactly monitor a system that you do not have intimate access to, right? The branch could also "require relevant information" with a public inquiry, according to the report, if the Australian government allows it. You can view the impressive 619-page document for yourself here.

The creation of the branch was one of the report's 23 recommendations to increase transparency and strengthen government control over these tech giants. Other recommendations focused on combating the spread of false information and increasing users' control over how their personal information is collected and used.

The government must now decide whether to launch these initiatives. The verdict that Frydenberg promised would be made by the end of the year after the stakeholder consultation, reports Business Insider Australia. Nevertheless, he said the government had strongly supported the need for such regulatory measures.

"Make no mistake, these companies are some of the most powerful and valuable in the world. They must be held accountable and their activities must be more transparent, "he said, according to Business Insider Australia.

The ACCC report was released just weeks after the Federal Trade Commission fined Facebook $ 5 billion, the largest ever imposed on a technology company. This decision marked the end of the agency's investigation into last year's Cambridge Analytica scandal, which claimed that 87 million Facebook users had their personal data compromised.