The Technology Users Association has published a paper calling for regulatory changes to protect consumers and small businesses from cyber threats.
TUANZ chair Paul Littlefair said the sophistication required to protect against cybercrime exceeds what individuals and small businesses can reasonably manage. "We certainly have the view at the moment that it's a bit too much of user beware, and the amount of accountability that you have to take as an individual to look after your own safety is probably a little too high at the moment," he said.
The association argues the current system places excessive responsibility on individuals for their own cyber safety.
TUANZ recommends the government move from voluntary guidelines to enforceable legislation on cyber security. It proposes incentives for small and medium enterprises to adopt security measures, including tax rebates or direct grants.
The paper calls for laws requiring telecommunications and social media platforms to actively identify and stop fraudulent activity and deepfakes. Littlefair said responsibility for spotting sophisticated AI-generated scams should lie with network providers rather than individual users.
TUANZ also recommends making cyber safety a core part of education, treating digital literacy with the same importance as reading and mathematics. "Cyber safety is a core life skill. Our children are going to be growing up to be digital natives, and this sort of thing is really important," Littlefair said. Financial literacy is currently being introduced into the school curriculum.