Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation
The intersection between competition and data privacy
Data plays an increasingly important role for online platforms and the majority of
digital business models. Along with data becoming central to competition and the conduct
of actors in digital markets, there has been an increase in data privacy regulations
and enforcement worldwide. The interplay between competition and data privacy has
prompted questions about whether data privacy and the collection of consumers’ data
constitute an antitrust issue. Should competition considerations be factored into
decisions by data protection authorities, and, if so, how can synergies between the
two policy areas be enhanced and tensions overcome? This paper explores the links
between competition and data privacy, their respective objectives, and how considerations
pertaining to one policy area have been, or could be, included into the other. It
investigates enforcement interventions and regulatory measures that could foster synergies
or lead to potential challenges, and offers insights into models for co-operation
between competition and data protection authorities. This is a joint working paper
from the OECD Competition and Digital Economy Policy Secretariat.
Available from June 07, 2024
In series:OECD Roundtables on Competition Policy Papersview more titles