2024/04/06 by Simonetta Vezzoso, Vezzoso, Simonetta
Business, Management and Accounting · #Digital Platforms and Economics #FOS: Economics and business #General Economics (econ.GN) #Sharing Economy and Platforms
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2404.04506
openalex publication_date 2024/04/06 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The Digital Markets Act (DMA) aims to ensure contestability and fairness in digital markets, particularly focusing on regulating Big Tech companies. The paper explores the DMA's capacity to address both current and future challenges in digital market contestability and fairness, spotlighting the trend towards platform integration and the potential rise of "super-apps" akin to WeChat and KakaoTalk. Specifically, it investigates WhatsApp, owned by Meta, as a gatekeeper that might expand its service offerings, integrating additional functionalities like AI and metaverse technologies. The paper discusses whether the DMA's obligations, such as mandated interoperability and data portability, can mitigate the emergent risks to market fairness and contestability from such integrations. Despite recognizing that the DMA has the potential to address many issues arising from platform integration, it suggests the necessity for adaptability and a complementary relationship with traditional antitrust law to ensure sustained contestability and fairness in evolving digital markets.