澳大利亚消费者对在线平台的投诉数量急剧增长，但现有申诉机制面临严重瓶颈。自2023年初以来，澳大利亚人向电信行业申诉官提交了1,780份关于在线零售商、市场、搜索引擎和社交媒体平台的投诉 [1]，2025年投诉同比增长20% [1]。消费者政策研究中心的数据显示，五分之四的澳大利亚人在过去一年内遇到过数字服务问题，未解决的问题每年造成约4.97亿澳元的经济损失 [1]。这一现状促使业界和监管部门探索新的争议解决机制。
国际经验提供了可借鉴的方案。欧洲《数字服务法》要求平台配备合适的投诉流程，且决定不能仅由机器做出，独立认证机构必须在90天内做出决议 [1]。Appeals Centre Europe已裁决1,500起争议，推翻了超过四分之一的平台原始决定 [1]。在这些新型体系中，人工智能可发挥辅助作用。维多利亚州法律改革委员会建议，AI不应做出最终决定，人类必须决定结果 [1]，这样既能利用AI分类和指导的效率优势，又能避免AI幻觉对消费者权益造成的潜在伤害。
Consumer complaints against online platforms in Australia are mounting at an alarming rate, yet existing dispute resolution mechanisms struggle to keep pace. Since early 2023, Australians have filed 1,780 complaints with the telecommunications industry ombudsman regarding online retailers, marketplaces, search engines, and social media platforms [1]. Complaints have grown by 20 percent year-over-year as of 2025 [1]. According to research from the Consumer Policy Research Centre, four in five Australians encountered digital service problems over the past year, with unresolved issues causing approximately AUD 497 million in economic losses annually [1].
The current system's inadequacy has prompted examination of international models and technological solutions. The European Union's Digital Services Act requires platforms to establish appropriate complaint procedures, with decisions that cannot be made by machines alone—independent certified bodies must reach resolutions within 90 days [1]. Appeals Centre Europe has already ruled on 1,500 disputes, overturning more than three-quarters of the original platform decisions [1]. While artificial intelligence could play a role in the new dispute resolution framework, safeguards are essential. Victoria's Law Reform Commission has advised that AI should not make final determinations; humans must decide the outcomes [1]. AI tools may assist in categorizing complaints and guiding the process, but delegating ultimate authority to machines risks harming consumer rights through algorithmic errors [1].
