The Rise of Big Tech: Is Competition Law Doing Its Job?

Abstract

Does Big Tech have too much power? And if so, what to do about it? These questions have led to fierce debate among politicians, scholars and general citizens across the world. Competition law plays a central role in this debate.

This contribution, written for a non-specialist audience, briefly examines the rise of Big Tech, and explains how competition law has responded. It then reviews the criticism to this response, and reflects on the way forward.

A Japanese version of this contribution was published in a book that collects thirteen "lectures" by professors from the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Law, taken from a course that is popular among first and second year undergraduate students at the university. The lectures treat a wide range of subjects, ranging from same sex marriages to the taxation of GAFA. They explain some of society's most pressing issues and how the law is responding to them. The book is "Mada hōgaku wo shiranai kimi he - mirai wo hiraku 13 kō [free translation: Discover the study of law: 13 lectures that open up a whole new world]" (Yuhikaku, 2022).

Keywords: competition law, antitrust, Big Tech, GAFA