A growing number of Australians are turning to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman for help with problems that arise not with their phone or internet provider, but with social media platforms and other tech companies. The shift points to rising frustration among consumers who feel they have nowhere else to go when things go wrong online.
According to figures cited in the report, 29 per cent had problems with social media platforms. The scale of those difficulties has put a spotlight on how hard it can be for ordinary users to resolve disputes with large technology firms, especially when compared with the more established complaints processes in the telecommunications sector.
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, Cynthia Gabert, says it can be difficult for people to get a satisfactory solution from tech companies. She notes that many of the issues are ones consumers are very familiar with from the telco space, but that in dealing with social media and tech firms, they often cannot get fair and reasonable outcomes.
The complaints cover a familiar range of problems. According to the ombudsman, people are reporting accounts being blocked and access being denied, as well as fees and charge-related complaints. Alongside these are general customer service issues, where users struggle to reach anyone able or willing to address their concerns.
For many consumers, the core problem is the imbalance of power between an individual user and a global platform. When an account is suddenly blocked or a charge is disputed, there is often no clear, independent avenue to challenge the decision and have it reviewed in a way that feels fair.
The trend raises wider questions about how complaints against social media and tech companies should be handled in Australia. As more people experience these problems and look for somewhere to turn, the role of bodies such as the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman in the digital space is likely to come under increasing scrutiny.