Dear Readers,
In this Chronicle we turn to the issue of the interaction between big data and competition. Is big data a game changer?
In recent years, big data has variously been discussed as the “new oil,” a barrier to entry to digital markets (and even brick and mortar sectors), or alternatively as a mere asset (albeit a new one), like any other.
Yet no clear consensus has emerged. Do large datasets justify modulation of existing antitrust doctrines? Are they better regulated through bespoke regulation? Or are the existing rules sufficient? How would any of the mooted changes interact with the burgeoning growth of personal data privacy regulation?
These questions, among others, have been raised in academic discussion, discourse among practitioners, and in various antitrust decisions in the past years. Yet there are, to date, no clear answers.
Whatever they may be, these answers will be key to the enforcement of competition rules for years to come. We hope this Chronicle provides a window into this fascinating debate.
Lastly, please take the opportunity to visit the CPI website and listen to our selection of Chronicle articles in audio form from such esteemed authors as Maureen Ohlhausen, Herbert Hovenkamp, Richard Gilbert, Nicholas Banasevic, Randal Picker, Giorgio Monti, Alison Jones, and William Kovacic among others. This is a convenient way for our readers to keep up with our recent and past articles on the go, in the gym, or at the beach.
As always, thank you to our great panel of authors.
Sincerely,
CPI Team
