ACCC targets Google over location data, Qantas moves into car insurance, and more top news

The news Australian professionals are talking about now, curated by LinkedIn’s editors. Join the conversation in the comments below.

The consumer watchdog is taking on Google, initiating “world-first” federal court action that alleges that the tech behemoth “misled consumers” about the location data it accumulated in 2017 and 2018. The ACCC’s action accuses Google of flouting consumer laws by not “properly informing” Android smartphone users about the scale of data they would relinquish in using the devices. Even users who disabled the ‘location history’ feature still permitted ads “and other Google services” to track users’ whereabouts. The company could be fined up to $10 million, or 10% of annual turnover. Here’s what people are saying.

Qantas has set its sights on Australia’s lucrative $10 billion car insurance, The Australian says. The airline is leaning on the increasingly potent lure of frequent flyer points to attract drivers, with new customers slung a sheaf of points for signing on, and more points promised if mundane tasks like car servicing and safety checks are completed via Qantas partners. In launching the insurance this week, Qantas boss Alan Joyce says that attaching points bounties to products is such a powerful tool, it can “change purchasing habits.”  Here’s what people are saying. 

Woolworths has revealed it underpaid staff by up to $300 million, The SMH reports. The underpayment affects 5,700 workers and was uncovered after the retail giant reviewed staff pay levels as it implemented its latest enterprise bargaining agreement. A big uptick in the number of companies underpaying their staff – Qantas, the ABC, Thales and Bunnings have revealed errors recently – has been triggered by “under-resourced payroll offices and a lax approach to compliance,” The AFR writes. The Fair Work Ombudsman argues employers must pour more resources into compliance. Here’s what people are saying.

Almost two thirds of workers wouldn’t discuss fertility issues with their employers, according to new research. Less than half of workers with fertility struggles feel supported at work, with many claiming they hadn't discussed their issues with their employer for fear it would hamper their career prospects, the research by LinkedIn and the charity Fertility Network UK found. Gwenda Burns, the charity's CEO, said it is "vital" that the stigma of discussing fertility struggles is removed. Here’s what people are saying.

The adage that you need to taste failure before you can truly succeed in your career is gaining credence from an unlikely source, The New York Times says. Decade-long scientific research from Northwestern University published by Nature found that workers who had early-career stumbles were more likely to be stronger than those who hadn’t experienced a setback. It’s not just “survival of the fittest,” the study’s co-author noted. Rather, an improved performance “is causally linked to the near-miss event itself.” Here’s what people are saying.

Idea of the Day: A good debate can help surface the best decision, says Brian Tyler, CEO at McKesson.

“Once you start regularly engaging in respectful debate, it becomes a very normal part of how thoughtful decisions are made. And the value of diverse perspectives becomes powerful and clear.”

What's your take on today’s stories? Share your thoughts in the comments.

— Andrew Murfett