The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) meted out a hefty fine of AU$412,500 (~USD$264,000) for Uber’s disregard for Australian anti-spam laws, and the regulator warned other businesses to take care not to run afoul of these rules. Uber, which sent 500,000 marketing emails to customers who had previously unsubscribed, had been able to evade regulations because the emails were mislabeled as non-commercial. To date, the government’s crackdown in this area has netted AU$11M (~USD$7M) from businesses, and it has advised businesses to closely monitor their marketing.

According to “Reaching new heights: navigating the path to profitable growth, today” report released by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company, the Southeast Asia region’s gross merchandise value (GMV) continues an upward trajectory and is set to reach USD$218 billion, growing 11% year-on-year (YoY) despite global macroeconomic headwinds. The report also reveals that SEA’s revenue from the digital economy is poised to hit USD$100 billion this year, growing 1.7x as fast as the region’s GMV. The report marked the 8th edition of the e-Conomy SEA report.