Data Protection in Attention Markets: Protecting Privacy Through Competition?

Abstract

Every day, digital platforms generate, gather, store and analyze a huge amount of data, personal data included: these data can be elaborated to cluster individuals and offer personalized prices and services. Progressively individuals are losing control over their personal data and digital identities and, accordingly, data protection authorities look at the operations of these digital platforms carefully.

The paper addresses the issue of a possible commingling between data protection rules and antitrust provisions and the lively global debate between those who call for a strong antitrust intervention to buffer privacy risks and those who would keep antitrust law at bay.

Keywords: Antitrust, Privacy, Big Data, Multi-sided Platforms

JEL Classification: D83, K21, L4