In early July 2020, the Woolworths Group was fined $1M for significantly breaching spam laws. The highest amount ever issued by the Australian Communications and Media Authority or ACMA. A strong, public rebuke was also given by the ACMA Chair, Nerida O’Loughlin, calling the scale and prolonged nature of the non-compliance, inexcusable. It’s not a cautionary tale for enterprise companies alone, but a warning for businesses of all sizes. The ACMA receives thousands of spam complaints each year from consumers, which they report directly to the offending businesses. Ignoring the spam laws, and ACMA warnings are clearly done at the peril of each business.
References
Information on the spam act, compliance or to make a complaint about spam:
Australian Communications and Media Authority
Information on privacy and freedom of information:
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner