AdvertisementBusinessCompaniesCompetition Shut down by algorithm: Small businesses suffer online nightmare David Swan August 12, 2026 — 3:30am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. These disputes have quadrupled to 48.3 per cent of all new cases managed by the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman in the June quarter, up from 12 per cent a year earlier. “Small businesses seeking our assistance describe how a ‘community standards’ algorithm has taken down their account without any apparent human oversight,” the ombudsman’s office told this masthead. Contacted by this masthead, Amazon confirmed that Nekhala’s account had been suspended for policy violations, without providing further details. “If this problem has also affected a number of other, likely Australian, small businesses, then the ACCC will be concerned,” he said.