According to recent research commissioned by the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, digital platform failures are costing us around $497 million a year
As it stands, Google, Meta, Apple, Microsoft and other platforms run and rule their own fiefdoms, answerable only to themselves
The TIO is calling on the federal government to expand its remit to oversee the ever-expanding digital platforms universe as well as telcos
It probably won’t come as a surprise that four out of five Australians had at least one major problem with a digital services provider in the last financial year.
According to recent research commissioned by the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO), issues such as unexplained loss of account access, being charged unexpected fees and experiencing a howling void where there should be customer service are costing us around $497 million a year.
One customer who has experienced these kinds of issues is Ben, who contacted us late last year about his difficulties with Meta. “Meta permanently disabled five of my accounts — both personal and business — with no warning, no clear explanation, and no real way to appeal,” Ben says.
I’ve run my business through Meta platforms for over a decade, and now I can’t even access what I’ve paid for
Meta customer Ben
“The official reason was a violation of community standards, but I genuinely haven’t done anything wrong. Just logged in one day and everything was gone. I’ve run my business through Meta platforms for over a decade, and now I can’t even access what I’ve paid for. The lack of support — especially when it’s clearly a mistake — has been deeply frustrating, both emotionally and financially.”
Even though Ben couldn’t get into his Meta business account, he was still paying for it.
“I can’t access it to pause or stop anything, but Meta is still billing my credit card every day. I’ve now been locked out for over three weeks, completely unable to manage or shut down the ads — and they just keep charging.”
“I’ve tried everything — appeals, ID submissions, support forms. I’ve even started tagging Meta staff on LinkedIn out of desperation.”
Ben’s ordeal was similar to experiences we documented in an earlier story. His services were eventually restored, but the process was a drawn-out ordeal.
The worst part about these not-uncommon situations is that there’s no external dispute resolution body in Australia (such as an ombudsman scheme) to accept and act on complaints, though there is strong public support to create one. As it stands, digital leviathans such as Google, Meta, Apple and Microsoft run and rule their own fiefdoms, answerable only to themselves.
The TIO, which receives thousands of complaints a year about such platforms, is not in a position to do anything about them. Its remit only covers telcos such as Telstra and Optus, but it’s calling on the federal government to widen its jurisdiction to oversee the ever-expanding non-telco universe as well.
Too many people are getting stuck in a complaints loop, unable to reach a real person, passed between automated systems, and left without resolution or closure
CPRC deputy CEO and digital policy director Chandni Gupta
“This research confirms what we have been hearing from people and small businesses for a long time – digital and social media issues take time, cost money and create stress,” says Ombudsman Cynthia Gebert. “People rely on digital platforms to work, run small businesses and stay connected.”
The report, Someone to turn to, was produced by the Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC). Its author, CPRC deputy CEO and digital policy director Chandni Gupta, says “too many people are getting stuck in a complaints loop, unable to reach a real person, passed between automated systems, and left without resolution or closure”.
“This problem harms individuals, undermines trust in the digital economy and weakens the accountability needed to ensure markets work for people.”
At the same time that the TIO is calling for its remit to be expanded to cover digital platforms, the telco industry it oversees continues to deliver poor service in many cases.
Its latest complaints report, covering January through March 2026, reveals that telco customers are increasingly demanding compensation for service disruptions that cost them money.
The TIO received 14,002 complaints over the three months, with customers asking for financial compensation in 32.7% more complaints than in the previous quarter. In a parallel finding, the number of customers reporting financial hardship problems rose by 25%.
“Outages or delays fixing a fault can contribute to lost income. People that need to get back online quickly may buy a temporary service, and others request refunds for monthly payments made for services they couldn’t use,” Gebert says.
Across complaints, we often see a single phone or internet problem turn into many
Ombudsman Cynthia Gebert
More people are also asking for compensation (a 16% jump compared to the same period last year) not because of a financial loss but because their ongoing mobile phone or internet problem negatively impacted their mental health.
“Across complaints, we often see a single phone or internet problem turn into many. People might start with a connection problem and end up being unable to work,” Gebert says.
“We also hear from people who need a payment plan but can’t get one they can afford, ending up deeper in debt. By the time people reach us, a single setback could have turned into real financial stress.”
From the TIO’s standpoint, the need for an independent complaints body to push back on the digital platforms such as Google and Meta that most of us engage with every day is self-evident.
“People are asking for something simple: clear pathways to complain and access to human support when they need it. Right now, these basic expectations are not being met,” Gebert says.
“The TIO already provides a free, independent service to resolve disputes and hold telco providers to account. This [CPRC] research shows there is a clear need to extend that model to digital services, so Australians can get help when it matters most.”
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Andy Kollmorgen is the Investigations Editor at CHOICE. He reports on a wide range of issues in the consumer marketplace, with a focus on financial harm to vulnerable people at the hands of corporations and businesses. Prior to CHOICE, Andy worked at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and at the Australian Financial Review along with a number of other news organisations. Andy is a former member of the NSW Fair Trading Advisory Council. He has a Bachelor of Arts in English from New York University. LinkedIn
Andy Kollmorgen is the Investigations Editor at CHOICE. He reports on a wide range of issues in the consumer marketplace, with a focus on financial harm to vulnerable people at the hands of corporations and businesses. Prior to CHOICE, Andy worked at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and at the Australian Financial Review along with a number of other news organisations. Andy is a former member of the NSW Fair Trading Advisory Council. He has a Bachelor of Arts in English from New York University. LinkedIn
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