Takeovers of smaller rivals by digital platforms, including their data sets, may pose a threat to consumers’ choice and privacy, says ACCC Chair Rod Sims.

Mr Sims raised these issues in relation to Google’s recently announced proposed acquisition of Fitbit.

At the time of Google’s acquisition of DoubleClick, DoubleClick reportedly denied that the data it collects through its system for serving ads would be combined with Google’s search data.  Eight years later, Google updated its privacy policy and removed a commitment not to combine Doubleclick data with personally identifiable data held by Google.

When Facebook acquired WhatsApp, Facebook claimed it was unable to establish reliable matching between Facebook users and WhatsApp users’ accounts. Two years later, WhatsApp updated its terms of service and privacy policy, indicating it could link WhatsApp users’ phone numbers with Facebook users’ identities.

Research from the ACCC inquiry showed around 80 per cent of users considered digital platforms tracking their online behaviour to create profiles, and also the sharing their personal information with an unknown third party, is a misuse of their information.