Generate QR code
Open Access
Subscription Access
Challenges in the legal regulation of competition in the context of the digital transformation of the economy
https://doi.org/10.35854/2219-6242-2024-4-560-572
Abstract
Competition law and policy foster, maintain and encourage competition in markets by establishing and ensuring prohibitions on business practices that may harm competition. The risk of anticompetitive practices is shown to increase with the tendency of large digital companies to form diversified conglomerates by developing new products and services or acquiring promising start-ups that reduce competition in the market. These companies operate through unique business models, and their use of advanced technologies and data exacerbates existing anticompetitive practices while creating new ones. Big data is explored as a key tool for gaining competitive advantages, and the complexities of interpreting artificial intelligence algorithms are discussed, particularly in relation to tacit collusion. The study also investigates the antitrust regulation of digital platforms in the European Union (EU) and China, highlighting the emergence of dominant “structuring” platforms in the markets. The authors argue that ensuring competitive market functioning in the presence of these platforms has become increasingly difficult for regulators. A number of regulatory changes are proposed to address these challenges
About the Authors
A. S. Volnov
St. Petersburg University of Management Technologies and Economics
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Alexey S. Volnov, postgraduate student
44A Lermontovskiy Ave., St. Petersburg 190020
A. V. Dalinin
St. Petersburg University of Management Technologies and Economics
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Aleksey V. Dalinin, PhD in Law, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Criminal Law and Procedure
44A Lermontovskiy Ave., St. Petersburg 190020
References
1. Tsarikovskii A.Yu., Ivanov A.Yu., Voinikanis E.A., eds. Antitrust regulation in the digital age: How to protect competition in the context of globalization and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. 2nd ed. Moscow: HSE Publ.; 2019. 391 p. (In Russ.).
2. Maslov A.O. Antitrust requirements for the functioning of digital platforms: Legal aspect. Cand. legal sci. diss. Moscow: Kutafin Moscow State Law University; 2023. 196 p. (In Russ.).
3. Kosmachev V. Investigation of the nature of the concept of competition. Chronos: ekonomicheskie nauki = Chronos: Economy Sciences. 2022;7(1):23-31. (In Russ.).
4. Ugurchiev O.B., Shahalieva D.R. Some features of the interpretation of the concept of “competition”. Vestnik Akademii znanii = Bulletin of the Academy of Knowledge. 2020;(39):341-345. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.24411/2304-6139-2020-10488
5. Zaloznaya G.M., Ishimbai R.N. Evolution of the theoretical concepts of competition. Zhurnal ekonomicheskoi teorii = Russian Journal of the Economic Theory. 2014;(4): 211-221. (In Russ.).
6. Prokhorov A.M., ed. Large encyclopedic dictionary. Moscow: Bol’shaya Rossiiskaya entsiklopediya; St. Petersburg: Norint; 2004. 1452 p. (In Russ.).
7. Balandin M.A. The Big Data phenomenon in the digital economy. In: Silin Ya.P., Dvoryadkina E.B., eds. Competitiveness of territories. Proc. 23rd All-Russ. economic forum of young scientists and students (Ekaterinburg, April 27-30, 2020). In 4 pts. Pt. 3. Ekaterinburg: Ural State University of Economics; 2020:10-12. (In Russ.).
8. Big Data: Development prospects, trends and volumes of the Big Data market. Delovoy profil. Dec. 21, 2020. URL: https://delprof.ru/press-center/open-analytics/big-dataperspektivy-razvitiya-trendy-i-obemy-rynka-bolshikh-dannykh/?ysclid=lx7jlyrqql21415082 (accessed on 23.05.2024). (In Russ.).
9. Pleskach V.L., Krasnoshchok V.N., Krivolapov Ya.V., Skachek L.N. Development trends, risks and prospects of big databases. Colloquium-journal. 2022;(1-2):39-42. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.24412/2520-6990-2022-1124-39-42
10. Chepurnova N.M., Muryseva V.O. Free competition in the digital economy: Mechanisms of protection. Gosudarstvennaya sluzhba = Public Administration. 2020;22(2):35-41. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.22394/2070-8378-2020-22-2-35-41
11. Motovilova D.A. Big Data and monopolism of tech giants: The viewpoint of antitrust law. Rossiiskoe konkurentnoe pravo i ekonomika = Russian Competition Law and Economy. 2018;(4):64-73. (In Russ.).
12. Djioeva L.S. New approaches to antitrust regulation in the digital economy. Rossiiskoe konkurentnoe pravo i ekonomika = Russian Competition Law and Economy. 2020;(1): 32-37. (In Russ.).
13. Kniaginin A.V. Impact of the antitrust legislation interpretation on the declaration of firms to be guilty of tacit collusion. Finansovyi zhurnal = Financial Journal. 2018;(3): 78-89. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.31107/2075-1990-2018-3-78-89
14. Belykh V.S., Bolobonova M.O., Konkov K.A. Issues and prospects of determining the dominant position in the conditions of the digital economy. Vestnik Universiteta imeni O.E. Kutafina (MGYuA) = Courier of the Kutafin Moscow State Law University (MSAL). 2020;(11):202-210. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.17803/2311-5998.2020.75.11.202-210
15. The Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act. European Commission. URL: https:// digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/digital-services-act-package (accessed on 02.04.2024).
16. Antimonopoly guidelines of the antimonopoly committee of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China for the platform economy. NRU HSE. Feb. 12, 2021. URL: https://ild.hse.ru/news/443021375.html (accessed on 02.04.2024). (In Russ.).
Review
For citations:
Volnov A.S., Dalinin A.V. Challenges in the legal regulation of competition in the context of the digital transformation of the economy. Sociology and Law. 2024;16(4):560-572. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.35854/2219-6242-2024-4-560-572
Views:
157
Email this article 