MEDIA RELEASE ADIA SUPPORTS ACMA SCAM CODE TO PROTECT CONSUMERS BUT CALLS FOR LEGITIMATE RESEARCH CALLS TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH AUSTRALIANS The Australian Data and Insights Association (ADIA) today supported the Australian Community and Media Authority’s (ACMA) new rules to fight SMS scams. While the ACMA’s Reducing Scam Calls and Scam Short Messages industry code is a strong step towards protecting the public, ADIA believes there is also a need for Government to work with industry to ensure that legitimate market and social research needs are met without additional costs to business and, in the case of government research, the taxpayer. ADIA would welcome the opportunity to work with Government, telcos, and stakeholders to support these new protective measures while recognising the need for further action to enable legitimate research calls. Market and social research relies on connecting with people who choose to share their views to enable the delivery of important consumer insights on Government, social policy and commercial issues and initiatives.
The ADIA said scam calls and SMSs were impacting its members’ ability to conduct vital consumer research with legitimate research calls and SMSs being mislabelled, and consumer non-response rates rising, as is the cost of conducting research, particularly by telephone.
Personal information for market and social research conducted by ADIA member organisations is collected only with specific, informed consent and under strict codes and practices. High-quality telephone research that informs government policy and business decisions relies on connecting with the people whose opinions count - the Australian public. ADIA member companies have a long and successful track record in safeguarding respondent personal data and continue to conduct legitimate research working under strict privacy rules that protect confidentiality and prohibit any selling. The Privacy (Market and Social Research) Code 2021 imposes some additional requirements, including:
ADIA member organisations adhere not only to Australia’s first and only Australian Privacy Principles (APP) registered industry privacy code but also an industry ‘Trust Mark’ - a seal of endorsement that assures business and government organisations they are buying research that is quality-tested and meets not only ethical standards but also goes over and above minimal privacy legislation. The Trust Mark provides the highest level of protection to companies using research services, and in turn, to consumers. |