From the blog post:
“Over the last two years, various European Data Protection Commissioners have taken action against Google. Hardly a month goes by without something being reported: a EUR 145,000 StreetView fine here or a court case about jurisdiction there. So it is important to understand: ‘why is Google on the receiving end all this enforcement action?’. Why now, and not five years ago? What has changed?”
Abstract:
“This paper discusses the general characteristics of online markets from a competition theory perspective and the implications for competition policy. Three important Internet markets are analyzed in more detail: search engines, online auction platforms, and social networks. Given the high level of market concentration and the development of competition over time, we use our theoretical insights to examine whether leading Internet platforms have non-temporary market power. Based on this analysis we answer the question whether any specific market regulation beyond general competition law rules is warranted in these three online markets.”
(Source: techliberation.com)
From ‘What we found’:
“After reading the policies and answering comprehension questions, 36% of Facebook users and 37% of Google users surveyed will change their behavior. Of the options presented in the survey, most Facebook users plan to change their privacy settings and be more careful posting information in the future. Google users indicated they’d take a number of actions, including changing privacy settings and clearing search history. Fifty percent will use Google less, while only 35% will use Facebook less. Google users may be more apt to reduce their use, since there are viable alternatives to many Google services (e.g., Bing, Worio and MapQuest). Facebook users don’t have the same luxury. Today, no alternative social network of similar scale exists.”
(Source: automatiseringgids.nl)
